You will no doubt be aware from recent local and national press that Forth Valley College announced last week that they are taking proposals on the future of their Alloa Campus to their Board of Management on the 26th of September 2025.
While it may feel like this issue isn’t pertinent locally Forth Valley College is a 3-campus college, with sites in Stirling, Falkirk and Alloa – what affects one, affects them all. UNISON is calling for your support to ensure this valuable local education resource remains open for the benefit all residents of Forth Valley.
UNISON Scotland Further Education Branch is holding a demonstration on the 26th of September from 8.30am at the Stirling Campus – as this is the time, date and location of the Board meeting where the future of Alloa campus will be decided. We ask that if members have the time and can that they support and attend this lobby and join UNISON in sending a message to the Board to delay the decision to allow for proper consultation and full consideration of all options with all stakeholders involved.
The work that Forth Valley College does in the local area is invaluable for students, including some who are vulnerable, and people from all walks of life who are working towards a better future through education. It is so vital that this campus be saved from closure so that it can continue to help build and rebuild the lives of local residents in one of Scotland’s worst areas of socio/economic deprivation.
Recent closures of long-established companies like INEOS and there is still the potential for job loss at Alexander Dennis as well as the on-going potential for job losses across our Local Authorities year in year out mean that the local communities will be crying out for opportunities to retrain and the Alloa campus is ideally located to provide local access to a more hopeful future.
UNISON are seeking full details of the proposals and supporting business cases so that full and proper consultation can commence, this was unable to be provided as the college has not yet finalised its options paper on the possibilities for the future of the college, despite asking the Board of Management to take a decision on the 26th of September 25. However, what UNISON have been able to glean was that the two options that remain viable for the future of FVC’s Alloa Campus will have effects that will ripple throughout the whole of Forth Valley.
Stirling UNISON 