UNION bosses at Bolton College are contacting the town's three MPs with evidence of alleged "management failures."

NATFHE - the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education - claims "management incompetence" has played a large part in Bolton College's financial crisis.

As reported yesterday, college managers wrote to staff on Wednesday asking for 40 voluntary redundancies.

Terry Hogan, college principal said the redundancies - 25 teaching posts and 15 technician posts - have to go if the college is to continue balancing its books.

In December, the BEN reported the college was £1.3 million in the red and although it has now redressed the balance it needs to make savings of £1 million to make up for a predicted shortfall in funding in the next two years.

In the same week the deficit was revealed, NATFHE passed a vote of no confidence in the college management.

Now, having seen the management's latest calls for staff cuts, the union has told the BEN it intends to contact Bolton's three MPs.

A spokesman for NATFHE, said: "We oppose these redundancies, not only because of the loss of our members jobs, but also because of the damaging effect on students.

"At a time when the Government may finally be planning to find more money for further education, it makes no sense for the college to be cutting back teaching jobs.

"These cuts are announced only days after the college management declared it wants to increase the working hours of all its lecturers. "Of course. the real problem is funding. But at Bolton College we believe management incompetence has been a big factor in our financial difficulties."

Mr Peter Murphy, vice principal of Bolton College said he could not comment on the union's intention to approach the borough's three MPs until he knew the nature of the allegations being laid against the college management.

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