THE redundancies at Bournemouth University will only free a tiny amount of money despite the claim they are needed to allow reinvestment, said the lecturers union.

Nearly 50 posts will go and the University College Union (UCU) said this will only generate two per cent of the money in the planned £130m reinvestment.

The university had claimed in a statement last month that the job cuts were to "create the financial headroom to bring about change and investment."

John Brissenden, from the UCU, said: "Vice-chancellor Paul Curran said the sackings are needed to provide savings for investment.

"But the university's strategic plan makes clear that only two per cent of the £130m proposed investment will come from the sackings.

"A month after the vice chancellor announced the job cuts, we have yet to hear a coherent rationale for why he needs to sack one person, let alone 50."

The UCU said £63m comes from increased fees, £30m from bank borrowing, £26.8 from research, and net savings from the redundancies only generate £3.1m.

It is understood to be now sounding out members about a ballot on taking industrial action and a vote of no confidence in the vice-chancellor.

A university spokesman said: "One element of our plan calls for more of the university's academic staff to be outward-looking and fully engaged in education, research, enterprise and professional practice.

"This change requires some very difficult decisions to be taken regarding the current academic staff, but all competitive organisations, including universities, have to make such decisions."