College bosses have dismissed fears a pioneering science centre could close.

But workers at the STAR Centre in Keighley claim jobs and pay are being cut as the centre faces a restructure.

Bosses from Leeds City College, which runs the facility, confirmed a restructure is under way at the centre, which is housed in the £35 million college complex in Dalton Lane, but categorically denied it could close.

They say work is being carried out to “increase the scope” of the centre.

However, one senior employee said the number of posts were being cut from five to two-and-a-half and remaining workers are to reapply for the new posts.

He said wages could also be cut as a result of the move.

The employee, who does not want to be named, said: “The college has given notice of redundancy to one person and I am concerned it will happen to others.

“Things do need to be restructured in difficult economic times but the claims of expansion are contradictory to what the college is doing.”

He said a reduction in workers would limit the centre’s ability to cope with large parties of school children and restrict its development.

“The centre was supposed to get young minds geared up to pursue this subject in the future,” he said. “It has been described as the jewel in the college’s crown but these changes seem to compromise it.”

The centre, which opened to the public from the Dalton Lane site in March, is used on weekdays by schools and is opened to the wider community at weekends and evenings.

Interactive attractions include a Mars landscape, planetarium, a spaceship with space suits, a space lab, a mock mission control and robot vehicles.

A spokesman for the college said all aspects of the STAR Centre are being reviewed to improve the way it works but claimed the review is still in the planning stages.

She said it is not possible to say if any posts would be made redundant.

She added it was the college’s policy to avoid redundancy and re-deploy staff within the organisation or look for alternative options wherever possible.

Jane Taylor, Leeds City College deputy principal, said: “Subsequent to the opening of the new Keighley Campus and rejuvenation of the STAR Centre facilities, the business development plan for the centre is being revisited in order to increase the scope of the centre.

“We hope that our plans will give the STAR Centre an even bigger and better regional presence.

“The college is also developing further links with external organisations in the town to again enhance its profile and standing in the town.”