Comments on Northern Regional College that the Business Improvement Plan for 2010-2016 which has just been released for consultation in a letter dated 12th May to Ballymoney Borough Council.
Phase 3 of its plan, if agreed, will in the period 2014-16 see the closure of existing sites in Balymoney and Coleraine in favour of a new building on a new site in Coleraine.
Having just had sight of the consultation document Chair of Development Committee, Councillor John Finlay said: "I am seriously concerned at the impact such a decision would have on the town and the local economy in general. I note from the report that redundancies are inevitable and while I accept that the college hope to manage the staff reduction through lavers and redeployment, further job losses in our borough is not good news.
My Committee meets on Monday and will commence its work on preparation of Council's response to the proposals.
We will want to take on board, also, views of local schools, particularly those who currently have close working arrangements to the Ballymoney Campus. I will also want to take the opportunity to seek the views of groups representing the retail, commercial and business sectors as well as the community and voluntary sectors and my committee will give consideration as to how this can best be done."
17/05/2010
