By Emily Parsons

Last updated at 12:59, Thursday, 21 June 2012

Fifty further jobs have been lost at the Richard Rose Federation – but only 10 of them were compulsory redundancies.

Mike Gibbons

The final figure has been released following the completion of the second phase of a two-year shake-up.

The process was launched in 2010 by federation chief executive Mike Gibbons, to address the aftermath of combining three schools into two academies, including – crucially – attempts to reduce a historical financial deficit.

In 2011 the federation saw the loss of 70 jobs, and it was always widely expected that a further 50 people would need to be made redundant this year.

It had admitted it needed to save a further £1.5m to help balance its books, following a continued overspend since the schools opened in September 2008.

Between April 2010 and November 2011, the Young People’s Learning Agency gave £6.6m to the Richard Rose Central Academy, while the Richard Rose Morton Academy received £1.4m, to help it balance its books.

A month-long consultation into the latest job losses involving staff and union representatives ended in April, but the federation has only now made the results public.

Following the 30-day consultation, it was identified that 80 per cent of those surplus jobs could be lost through voluntary redundancies.

Mr Gibbons said: “This final push clears the way to address both [overstaffing and the financial deficit]. Of course, a reduction in pupil numbers from the communities that our predecessor schools served has also contributed to our deficit.

“We needed to reduce expenditure to bring us within national norms for pupil/adult/teaching ratios. We are now on a level playing field with our structure and our finances leaving us free to concentrate solely on raising educational standards.”

He continued: “However, I am confident this year’s results will be evidence that the approach we have taken over the last four years has not only reversed the organisation’s financial situation, but has also created two educational establishments that can successfully compete with the best in the country.

“We will be working with organisations who can be partners with us in this.”

Mr Gibbons paid tribute to staff who have been involved and affected, adding: “I have been impressed by their diligence, respect and resolve to ensure the communities, parents and pupils that we serve benefit from not only the best educational buildings in Cumbria, but also the best provision.

“I thank them for making that their priority.”

All 50 jobs will have gone by the end of August, but the timings vary as people have been able to go earlier where appropriate.

The federation is also releasing people on an individual basis, if there is a job offer elsewhere and it helps if they can start right away.

First published at 11:24, Thursday, 21 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk