Training college cuts workforce

A Devon college that offers vocational training for disabled people is cutting it staff numbers by nearly half in a streamlining move. The St Loye's Foundation in Exeter will go from 73 to 39 staff, with 34 potential redundancies between April and August 2008.

The charity's staff were told in a meeting on Thursday. St Loye's Foundation is moving to smaller premises and introducing a new style of training programmes. The charity says it has to downsize to ensure that its future plans can be implemented.

Chief executive Christopher Knee said: "Streamlining an organisation like St Loye's is always a difficult and emotional process and we will be very sorry to see this number of people leaving us in 2008."

A support package for staff will include job searching and career counselling. Consultations are to begin shortly with employee representatives. The charity is to implement a new business plan which