News / NAFC faces tough financial challenge
THE HEADS of Scalloway’s NAFC Marine centre have pledged to be open and up front about how the fisheries college finds hundreds of thousands of pounds of savings over the next three years.
The college receives £1.7 million a year from Shetland Islands Council’s economic development unit, that is seeking an overall 35 per cent cut to its annual budget as part of the local authority cuts.
NAFC director David Gray said the council now provided 50 per cent of the college’s income, down from 70 per cent when he joined four years ago.
Last month he was told how much the council was looking for in savings, but he would not reveal the figure publicly.
“We have been forewarned of a significant cut in funding, but we don’t know what the final level of cuts will be until councillors hold their budget meetings,” Gray said.
Senior management and the board of the Shetland Fisheries Training Centre Trust (SFTCT), which runs the college, are currently drawing up a plan to address the financial challenge they are about to face.
Gray said the islands’ fishing and fish farming industry will be fundamental to any plan, helping the college define its priorities for when the cuts kick in next April.
Local industry pays the college for research and consultancy work, with other funding coming from the Scottish government, the European Fisheries Fund, the Scottish Funding Council and the merchant navy’s cadet training programme.
The college has been hailed as a world leader in the field of marine spatial planning, with Gray invited to give the opening address to a prestigious international conference in China recently.
However its capacity to attract more students is limited by the size of its campus and facilities, which are currently at full stretch, along with the need to bring new entrants in from outside the isles.
He said it was important not to panic, and that there was time to work with stakeholders to plan ahead.
“I am confident we can do it, but we have to be very, very clear as to what the trust is setting out to do and make sure we can meet the needs of the community, the economy and the local industry.
“Shetland as a whole needs to live within our means and therefore we have a responsibility to try and help the council cut spending as responsibly as possible and that’s what the trust is trying to do.”
SFTCT chairman Ertie Nicolson said Shetland had brought the current financial situation upon itself, but he was determined savings at the college would be handled “openly and above board”.
“I have to look after the staff and welfare of the marine centre, but let’s do it in proper manner.”
This year the board brought Gray back in to run the NAFC full time after he was seconded to run Shetland College in Lerwick as well.
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