UEA will not get financial bailout from Norfolk council

The turmoil at the UEA emerged last month, when it revealed it needed to make £45m of savings in the next three years.

Staff are facing redundancy, while the UEA's vice-chancellor Prof David Richardson has resigned, to be replaced by Prof David Maguire.

READ MORE: UEA financial crisis: Bosses urged to bring in £100k pay cap

Graham Plant, acting leader of Norfolk County Council (Image: Newsquest)

At a meeting of Norfolk County Council, Graham Plant, standing in as leader, said the Conservative authority was ready to help - but not with money.

READ MORE: Norfolk council leader Andrew Proctor takes leave of absence

He said: "I think the UEA is a key partner and a key element of what makes Norfolk what it is today.

"It has an international reputation and we need to maintain that. We will work, as a county council, with the UEA to help them get wherever they need to go to get over this period they are in.

The University of East Anglia (Image: Archant Norfolk)

"They are in a difficult situation but, with friends' help - and we are a friend of the university - they will get over this situation.

"We will work together with them to ensure they get to a better plan than they are in now.

"Obviously, I cannot promise any individual finances on that score, but we will work with them as we always have in the past."

Norfolk county councillor Ed Maxfield (Image: Ed Maxfield)

His comments came after independent councillor Ed Maxfield, a former UEA student, asked whether the authority was in a position to help.

Mr Maxfield said: "Like many thousands of others, the UEA allowed me to live a life that has been full of opportunities that were not available to members of my family who came before me.

The University of East Anglia in Norwich (Image: Mike Page)

"Many people will be very worried about what they see reported about UEA's financial position."