HE Government has cut funding for a leading Somerset learning organisation from £3.4m to £111,000, leaving its Minehead centre with nothing other than apprenticeship and training courses.

And 200 Somerset Skills & Learning (SS&L) staff members across the county are at risk of losing their jobs.

On Monday, county council leader Cllr David Fothergill along with local MPs and SS&L representatives met Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills Anne Milton to lobby against the cuts.

And they are calling on the public to join the campaign by lobbying their councillors and MPs as well as supporting the social media campaign at #savesomersetskills #standupforsomerset and #lovessl.

All SS&L adult education and community learning courses, including leisure, interest and fitness courses, have been postponed at its centre in Middle Street, Minehead.

The picture is the same in Bridgwater, Burnham on Sea, Chard, Frome, Ilminster, Taunton, Wellington, Wells and Yeovil.

Only apprenticeship and traineeship programmes in Minehead, and GCSE Maths and English in some centres, will continue to run as usual.

That is just a part of what the organisation has been providing annually to over 10,000 learners across the county.

It also provides learning grants for over 40 different community groups, back to work and employability training, and work with schools and family centres.

“A funding cut of this magnitude was a shock and extremely disappointing,” said Kathryn Baker, SS&L director of curriculum and business development.

“Other counties have received their funding and we are hugely disappointed that the whole Somerset community will miss out on being able to access adult and community education.

“We have been tirelessly working to overturn the decision and rally local MPs and councillors to support us,” she said.

SS&L was previously a part of the county council but became a separate, not-for-profit social enterprise in 2015.