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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mandelson in university dispute | Mandelson in university dispute |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| What the Universities Secretary takes away with one hand, he may well have to give back with another, it is claimed. | What the Universities Secretary takes away with one hand, he may well have to give back with another, it is claimed. |
| In a strange twist, Lord Mandelson has been asked to intervene in a dispute over planned cuts at Leeds University being sought by his own department. | In a strange twist, Lord Mandelson has been asked to intervene in a dispute over planned cuts at Leeds University being sought by his own department. |
| Staff claim a restructuring plan did not go through the proper procedures. | Staff claim a restructuring plan did not go through the proper procedures. |
| They have asked him to referee in the row because of his titular role as Lord President of the Council - by which he has a duty to oversee 16 universities. | They have asked him to referee in the row because of his titular role as Lord President of the Council - by which he has a duty to oversee 16 universities. |
| The bizarre turn of events arose after a member of the university staff, Dr John Illingworth, petitioned the Lord President in his historic role as "Visitor" of Leeds University. | The bizarre turn of events arose after a member of the university staff, Dr John Illingworth, petitioned the Lord President in his historic role as "Visitor" of Leeds University. |
| the Visitor requests that the University should take no further steps towards implementing the proposals Letter from Privy Council Officee | the Visitor requests that the University should take no further steps towards implementing the proposals Letter from Privy Council Officee |
| The Visitor - whose job is one of the functions of the Lord President of the Privy Council - is responsible for hearing petitions about whether the universities under his authority have properly interpreted and applied their internal rules. | The Visitor - whose job is one of the functions of the Lord President of the Privy Council - is responsible for hearing petitions about whether the universities under his authority have properly interpreted and applied their internal rules. |
| The petition suggests that plans to restructure the university's Faculty of Biological Sciences were advanced without the agreement of the university's Senate or board of governors, as required by its rules. | The petition suggests that plans to restructure the university's Faculty of Biological Sciences were advanced without the agreement of the university's Senate or board of governors, as required by its rules. |
| Accepting the petition, Lord Mandelson's office has now written to Leeds requesting that it puts on hold its plans for £35m efficiency savings, including job cuts, until after the matter has been decided. | Accepting the petition, Lord Mandelson's office has now written to Leeds requesting that it puts on hold its plans for £35m efficiency savings, including job cuts, until after the matter has been decided. |
| The letter says: "Pending consideration of the petition, however, the Visitor requests that the University should take no further steps towards implementing the proposals until the petition has been determined." | The letter says: "Pending consideration of the petition, however, the Visitor requests that the University should take no further steps towards implementing the proposals until the petition has been determined." |
| The university has six weeks to respond to the letter. | The university has six weeks to respond to the letter. |
| The event comes just days after the Universities Secretary admitted more people than usual would miss out on a university place because the sector's budgets are being cut by £450m. | The event comes just days after the Universities Secretary admitted more people than usual would miss out on a university place because the sector's budgets are being cut by £450m. |
| 'Wholly misconceived' | 'Wholly misconceived' |
| It also comes just 24 hours after University and College Union members at the university announced plans for three one-day strikes. | It also comes just 24 hours after University and College Union members at the university announced plans for three one-day strikes. |
| UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: "We are pleased that the Visitor agrees with us that the current cost-cutting plans at Leeds must be put on hold to allow this issue to be properly investigated. | UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: "We are pleased that the Visitor agrees with us that the current cost-cutting plans at Leeds must be put on hold to allow this issue to be properly investigated. |
| "Our universities spend millions of pounds of taxpayers' money and it is right and just that there is proper scrutiny of how they spend that money and why certain decisions around their academic missions are taken. | "Our universities spend millions of pounds of taxpayers' money and it is right and just that there is proper scrutiny of how they spend that money and why certain decisions around their academic missions are taken. |
| "UCU continues to believe a sensible way forward is possible at Leeds and we call on the university to join us in meaningful negotiations to avoid a damaging dispute." | "UCU continues to believe a sensible way forward is possible at Leeds and we call on the university to join us in meaningful negotiations to avoid a damaging dispute." |
| A spokesman for Leeds University said the appeal was "wholly misconceived". | A spokesman for Leeds University said the appeal was "wholly misconceived". |
| "We will resist the petition vigorously. The Visitor's request is ambiguous, and we are seeking clarification," he added. | "We will resist the petition vigorously. The Visitor's request is ambiguous, and we are seeking clarification," he added. |
| Independent advice | Independent advice |
| Lord Mandelson's spokesperson said he had discussed the restructuring plans at Leeds with its Vice Chancellor Professor Michael Arthur late last year when "he told him he was facing heavy opposition from the UCU". | |
| "These plans were drawn up before the HEFCE grant letter. The proposed changes do not relate to cuts in university budgets, and it is for the university to restructure as it sees fit," said the spokesperson. | |
| The Privy Council Office, not Lord Mandelson, independently asks the university to put its plans on hold because a petition has been lodged as part of a formal legal process. | |
| "The petition goes through a number of stages before it is presented to the Lord President, who makes his decision on the basis of independent legal advice." | "The petition goes through a number of stages before it is presented to the Lord President, who makes his decision on the basis of independent legal advice." |
| The spokesperson added that when exercising this jurisdiction on behalf of the Queen, Lord Mandelson, the current Lord President of the Council, did so in a quasi-judicial manner. | The spokesperson added that when exercising this jurisdiction on behalf of the Queen, Lord Mandelson, the current Lord President of the Council, did so in a quasi-judicial manner. |
| He is advised in this role by an independent lawyer of standing, usually a retired Court of Appeal judge. | He is advised in this role by an independent lawyer of standing, usually a retired Court of Appeal judge. |
| This role is separate from his role as a member of the Government and Business Secretary, the spokesperson stressed. | This role is separate from his role as a member of the Government and Business Secretary, the spokesperson stressed. |