THE HILL Education and Conference Centre, Abergavenny is to be closed by Coleg Gwent following the Welsh Assembly Government cutting funds for all post-16 education in Wales.

Wales' largest further education college has also announced plans to restructure its campuses and 74 staff face redundancy in order to save £3.5 million.

A country house on the outskirts of Abergavenny, The Hill is a conference centre and licensed wedding venue, its education provision includes IT, horticulture, adult learning classes and residential courses.

It is also the base for the Regional Welsh for Adults Centre, which would be relocated to Newport under the proposals and all further education courses at The Hill would also be relocated to other campuses. 

The Hill will close in September along with relocation of A level courses from Pontypool to Crosskeys.

Other courses at Usk, Newport and Ebbw Vale will also have to close at the end of this academic year in July.

However, the relocation of Monmouthshire County Council's headquarters to college's Usk Campus has been unaffected by the proposals.

Abergavenny councillor Douglas Edwards has said the closure of The Hill is "a real tragedy for the town."

He said, "The Hill provides a whole host of adult education and weekend residential courses. This brings a lot of visitors to Abergavenny. The closure is not what the town needs. Why is the Assembly Government taking an axe to further education?"

Read more in the next edition of the Chronicle.