CRISIS-hit Clydebank College yesterday announced plans to axe 33 lecturers and scrap courses in a bid to bail it out of #826,000 of debt.

The college said the cuts were needed to save #750,000, including #350,000 on staff costs, by next April as part of a five-year rescue plan agreed with the Scottish Office.

Principal Mr Hugh Walker said compulsory redundancies were inevitable, and the least popular classes faced being cancelled.

Union chiefs will today seek permission to ballot members on industrial action, unless management changes its mind.

Mr Walker, who took over as principal in February, said: ''This is a situation which I very much regret but, for the sake of existing and prospective students, we have to act.

''The scope for manoeuvre is reducing with each week. The action planned to stabilise the position is vital.''

College management and representatives of the Educational Institute of Scotland teaching union were locked in talks for most of yesterday aftenoon.

After the meeting, EIS branch secretary Alan Ferguson said there was no need for staff cuts if the college budgeted to break even over two years instead of one.

He said: ''We are opposed to compulsory redundancies and 33 redundancies is one seventh of our lecturing staff. There's no possibility of maintaining the level of provision the college offers with these sort of cuts.

''We have already passed a branch motion to ballot on industrial action. We are still talking to management. If the end result is compulsory redundancies there will certainly be a ballot.''

The college, which has 344 academic staff, has accumulated massive debts after falling foul of the government's funding scheme, which penalises institutions which fail to attract students in sufficient numbers.

Last year, it overspent #1.2 million on staffing and the amalgamation with Anniesland College was scrapped.

By February, it was forced to seek an extension on a bank overdraft, because it was unable to pay staff wages. It was spending more than it earned, and its financial position was worsening at a rate of #60,000 per month.

Local MP Tony Worthington held crisis talks with the board to draw up a survival plan, and desperate cash saving schemes were launched including an energy saving day when staff were urged to switch off classroom lights.

Dumbarton MP John McFall raised the issue of the #56,000-a-year salary paid to former principal Bill Greenock. There was further anger when it emerged Mr Greenock was given a #150,000 pay-off deal.

The recovery plan, agreed with the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department, requires the college to move towards the efficiency norms of other colleges. It means saving a total of #750,000 in the next financial year.