Shipley College has been forced to ask staff to take voluntary redundancy because of cuts in its budget from the Government.

College bosses have written to every member of staff offering redundancy packages because of an expected shortfall in funding for its adult learner courses.

However principal Jean McAllister said compulsory job losses were "not on the agenda" - even if no staff take up the voluntary redundancy offer.

The college is being forced to make savings because of a cut in funding for adult learners courses from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) which is investing more money on courses for 16- to 18-year-olds and has withdrawn cash for adult learners across the country.

The Telegraph and Argus reported this week that Bradford College has had to withdraw about 1,000 places on adult learner courses because of a reduction in funding of around £1 million from the LSC over the past two years.

The college announced it would make be making 122 redundancies - including 66 academic posts - to tackle a forecast debt of £1.3 million in the last financial year.

Unions claim the cut in LSC funding has been a major reason for Bradford College's financial crisis.

However, Mrs McAllister said Shipley College would not be forced to cut jobs or reduce the number of adult learners courses because it was in a "strong financial position".

Every member of staff has received a letter asking them to indicate by Wednesday whether or not they are prepared to take voluntary redundancy.

But the lecturers' union NATFHE is not expecting the college to axe any jobs if people fail to take up the offer.

Its Shipley branch officer Neil Crowther said: "We have met with the principal and she has told us that she does not want to countenance compulsory redundancies and I don't expect them to happen."

Mrs McAllister said the college would be increasing tuition fees on courses which could no longer be funded by the LSC and savings would also be made by delaying expansion plans.

The College does not know how much LSC funding it will receive in the next academic year but the Association of Colleges expects the Government to cut up to 200,000 places on courses across the UK from September, with further cuts expected the following year.