Welsh winners and losers

Four Welsh colleges of further education face cash cuts of more than 5 per cent in 1998-99.

The Further Education Funding Council for Wales figures reveal that the biggest loser is the largest college, Gwent Tertiary. After a scandal-hit year it now has the fresh worry of losing nearly Pounds 2 million, a cut of just under 8 per cent compared with 1997-98.

John Andrews, chief executive of FEFCW, said the other colleges facing cuts of more than 5 per cent - Afan, Glan Hafren and Lysfasi - had been hit by under-recruitment in a year when the standard unit of funding went down by 5 per cent. Colleges will receive Pounds 163.5 million, up 1.5 per cent on 1997-98, in respect of 6.2 per cent more funded full-time equivalent students.

Professor Andrews said he hoped the outcome of the comprehensive spending review would avert further cuts projected for 1999-2000. An additional Welsh Office grant of Pounds 3.5 million for basic skills training may ease some pressures this year.

The 1998-99 allocations are the first to take account of performance data from the Individualised Student Record. Some money has also been allocated for institutions who can show they are tackling the council's priorities on participation, social exclusion and contribution to prosperity. These priorities, and strong recruitment, explain the increases of more than 10 per cent given to colleges such as Swansea, Ystrad Mynach and St Davids.

WELSH FUNDING ALLOCATIONS 1998/99

Institution Pounds *

Aberdare 2,187,825

Afan 2,628,878

Barry 6,172,651

Bridgend 6,990,939

CCTA 9,996,539

Ceredigion 2,716,418

Deeside 6,178,954

Glan Hafren 8,652,012

Gorseinon 4,147,373

Gwent 23,117,424

Harlech 701,575

Llandrillo 9,542,123

Llysfasi 1,565,778

Meirion-Dwyfor 4,071,536

Menai 7,955,247

Merthyr Tydfil 3,179,762

Neath 8,540,5

Pembrokeshire 6,179,650

Pencoed 1,465,795

Pontypridd 8,773,088

Powys 5,165,616

St Davids 2,252,182

Institution Pounds *

Swansea 9,845,754

WCoH 1,711,175

WEA North 375,771

WEA South 950,9

Yale 10,078,089

YMCA 181,512

Ystrad Mynach 4,567,899

UCW Aberystwyth 495,659

UWIC 649,976

UWC Newport 410,433

SIHE 225,189

UW Bangor WfA 482,351

UW Cardiff WfA 301,634

Glamorgan Univ WfA 150,821

NEWI WfA 9,907

UW Swansea WfA 203,469

Trinity WfA 25,081

Sponsored Organisations 241,690

TOTAL 163,088,328

Source - WHEFC

Note: *Provisional figure. Arithmetical inconsistencies may arise due to rounding. West Cardiff Collegium and Cwmtawe figures excluded.