College staff accused over cut fears

The principal of a cashstrapped college has come under fire after he accused “troublemakers” among the staff of “actively seeking to do damage” to the institution.

Martin Mcguire, principal and chief executive of New College Lanarkshire, claimed some workers were spreading rumours that college campuses were to close and jobs were being axed. The college had an underlying deficit for 2016-17 of £560,000, but Mr Mcguire said the financial situation was improving.

He told MSPS on Holyrood’s public audit committee: “For some staff at the minute, it doesn’t matter how many times I tell them that there will be no compulsory redundancies, that no campuses are closing.i think there is a rumour mill. I think there are people actively seeking to do damage within the organisation and upset people.”

Airdrie and Shotts MSP Alex Neil told the college boss: “That was a pretty incendiary statement.”