Pembrokeshire College has begun voluntary redundancy talks with staff after deep funding cuts were announced.

The college said it is facing a cut in funding of £800,000 for 2015/16.

Funding allocations issued to colleges across Wales show that funding for part-time courses are set to cut by 50 per cent for the coming year.

Funding for basic skills, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Learners with Learning Difficulties or Disabilities will be protected.

Overall the cuts will mean a £14.1million reduction in funding for the further education sector in Wales.

Colleges also need to make an efficiency gain of 2.6 per cent in the delivery of their full-time courses.

Pembrokeshire College said it is currently planning and working with staff to look at alternative delivery methods to minimise the impact on course delivery as much as possible.

The college says there is also uncertainty regarding the Sector Priorities Fund aimed at providing part-time provision for employed adults over the age of 19.

During 2014/15 this provided the college with funding in the region of £1million.

The funding position for 2015/16 however, is unclear and voluntary redundancy talks with staff have begun as a result.

Trade Unions UCU, ATL and UNISON who represent members in FE Colleges across Wales said they are outraged by the scale of funding cuts announced by the Welsh Government.

Speaking on behalf of the joint trade unions, Hugh McDyer, Area Organiser for Unison, commented: “We are working closely with Pembrokeshire College to avoid compulsory redundancies and will continue as unions to campaign for a fair deal for FE.

“There has to be government commitment to provide adequate funding to the FE sector, to protect ‘second chance’ learning and the life changing opportunities that this can provide for thousands of adults in both Wales and the rest of the UK.”

The funding cuts will not affect the College’s ability to deliver full-time courses aimed at 16-18 year olds.

College Principal, Sharron Lusher, said: "I met with staff today and recognise that it is a difficult message to deliver to a team of staff who have shown their dedication to delivering high quality part-time education and training to learners from across Pembrokeshire for many years – we are working hard to minimise the impact of the funding reductions.

“Here, it is very much a case of business as usual to ensure our young learners achieve excellent results again this year.

"Our outstanding A-level results last year resulted in 33.3% of our students achieving A – A* and 37% of students studying Extended Diplomas achieved Distinction/Distinction*.

"In 2014 we saw 165 of our learners progressing into universities and higher education - a significant number. Upskilling the unemployed and adults in the most need of basic skills training will also remain as a core activity of the College.”

The college also confirmed that boatbuilding courses at the MITEC facility in Milford Haven are to end due to a lack of demand.

A spokesman said the MITEC building would remain open and other courses run from the site would be unaffected.