Over 100 Staff and 157 Courses to be Axed as Adult Education Service is Slashed

4.06.57pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 26th Jul 2006

A row has broken out after Labour PR bosses claimed that cuts to Manchester's Adult Education Service are good news.

Manchester Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson Marc Ramsbottom stated today:

"The Council's Press Release is absurd. It claims that £3.1 million extra is being pumped in, when in fact this money is being used to get rid of 80 to 120 staff and cut 157 courses."

"Courses cancelled after today's cuts include Sign Language courses, yoga & Tai Chi for older people, foreign languages, and many courses for people with Leaning Difficulties and Disabilities."

He concluded:

"These cuts make a mockery of the Council's "Valuing Older People" strategy. Manchester Liberal Democrats are appalled that so many courses for older people have been cancelled, and so many talented staff being pushed on the scrap-heap."

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