Protests as county youth choir is hit by key job cuts

Members of Durham County Youth Choir (DCYC) plan to stage a public protest at the decision to remove the positions of its secretary and registrar.

The 50-strong choir is made up of the pick of 14 to 18-year-old singers from schools across the county.

Members rehearse every Friday evening at St Leonard's RC Comprehensive School, in Durham, and perform regularly both in and beyond the county.

Previous regional winners of the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year, DCYC has also made five television appearances.

But preparations for two forthcoming concerts during a practice weekend in Cumbria were marred when news of the job losses was announced.

Secretary Stuart Banks and registrar Beryl Lindley revealed their posts are considered surplus to requirements by the Durham County Schools Music Service, a wing of the county education authority.

Eighteen-year-old Katy Walls, who has been with the choir for more than three years, said she feared it may only be the thin end of the wedge.

"I hope this is not the beginning of the end. Both posts are needed.

"We have members all over the county, and both the secretary and registrar play an important role in making rehearsal and concert arrangements, and sorting out the music.

"We're all going to write letters to County Hall asking them to reconsider."

Katy, from Chester-le-Street, and several other choir members, hope to gather public support with a petition.

They plan to sing in public in Durham while drawing up the petition later this week.

A spokesman at County Hall said the decision to cut the posts was taken to bring DCYC in line with its other youth music groups, which have just two administrative positions.

"Once these two posts have gone, it will leave the choir with a conductor and an accompanist, the same staffing level all our other ensembles operate successfully with."

He said some of the choir's administrative work will be carried out by the county music service's own staff.