Highland And Islands MSP Rhoda Grant Refused A Meeting With Ministers As College Budgets In Scotland To Be Slashed
26th March 2024
Highland and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant has hit out at a lack of engagement by the Scottish Government over planned cuts to UHI.
Despite consistent requests for engagement and discussion with Scottish Ministers, there has been no commitment on holding talks. Rhoda stated:
"This year, I have requested a meeting with the Scottish Government on three separate occasions over the worrying cuts to campuses across UHI. Three times I have been refused.
No good explanation has been given nor assurances offered to me, the staff, students, and local communities that are being affected through the cuts and planned redundancies."
In the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, Labour MSP Rhoda Grant was able to highlight the current situation at UHI Moray.
In the Chamber, she echoed points of local Moray Councillor Sandy Keith, who stated that cutting the college staff by 25% will have immediate and lasting repercussions for the wider region. She stated:
"Education, training, and colleges are essential for economic growth and the sustainability of communities across the region. UHI Moray is an integral part of Moray's Growth Deal, and the cuts would impact vital parts of the local economy.
It seems crazy to cut a quarter of the budget to an establishment that is integral to a regional growth deal.
I will continue to push the Scottish Government to engage and hold meaningful discussions to limit the impact of any cuts and redundancies."
The Draft Budget means for Scotland's 24 colleges: That the Scottish Government will reduce revenue funding for the college sector, to £643.0m. This represents a reduction of £58.7m against the level of funding for 2023/24 which was initially presented to Parliament in December 2022 of £701.7m, equivalent to 8.4%.