100 Jobs Could Go At Culham Forensic lab

11 March 2013, 15:09 | Updated: 11 March 2013, 16:11

A forensic lab in Oxfordshire has told Heart they're looking at losing up a 100 jobs because of cuts to police budgets.

LGC in Culham work on homicide and highly complex cases. They say they have to simplify and streamline their services to make sure they are cost effective.

The workforce could be cut by around 150-170 jobs with 100 of those set to go at the Oxfordshire site. 

The lab has recently worked on the Operation Bullfinch case - where 9 men are on trial for allegedly being involved in a child sex grooming ring in Oxford.

Guenaelle Holloway from the company said: "The UK forensics market has been undergoing unprecedented change and LGC must adapt to this. 

"We must simplify and streamline our services to make them more robust, flexible and cost-effective in an environment where customer requirements are changing significantly.

"The strategic change programme we announced in January will ensure LGC maintains its position as a world-class innovator and the leading business in UK forensics."

We're told more staff had to be hired because of an increase in work when the government's Forensic Science Service closed last year. There has also been a decrease in police budgets.

Consultations are taking place with 200 staff at the Culham site, which will retain critical forensic services. Some staff have already taken up the offer of redundancy or relocation.

Ms Holloway added; "For those employees whose jobs may be at risk, this will be a difficult time. We will fully support them as we re-align the business, and do our utmost to help them secure new positions."