JOHN CADOGAN, the director-general of Britain鈥檚 research councils, warned this week that further administrative jobs are to go in Swindon where the five councils are based. The warning comes in Cadogan鈥檚 long-awaited Review of the Science Budget Portfolio, a document explaining how he divides up the Science Budget.
Cadogan says that more jobs must go to create 鈥渓ean, fit-for-purpose organisations鈥�, where almost all the money is spent on research rather than administration. He points out that councils have already shed 120 administrative posts this year, but insists that further 鈥渟ignificant reductions鈥� must be achieved in the coming year. 鈥淭he councils still have around 1300 staff in their headquarters to deal with a budget of some 拢1.2 billion, less than 拢1 million per HQ person,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hile every effort will be made by the councils to achieve any further reductions by voluntary means, compulsory redundancies cannot at this stage be ruled out,鈥� he warns.
Trade unionists are dismayed by the news. 鈥淚 can only foresee stormy waters ahead,鈥� says Kevin Brandstatter of the National Union of Civil and Public Servants and the union liaison office for the site.
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