NEWCASTLE’S flagship science body will have to slim down its work as Government cuts bite.

City leaders have committed £1.5m to keeping Science City going over the next three years, but say job losses will have to come at the small team set up to create world-leading research firms in Tyneside.

Newcastle Council and Newcastle University, who provide the funding between them, say they are determined to see the Science City project survive.

The partnership is set to approach leading firms such as Proctor and Gamble to form an alliance of research firms.

Science City will continue its work bringing together research on ageing and health, renewable energy and stem cell medicine to attract more science-based businesses to the city -despite funding cuts worth two thirds of the budget.

The project had been funded with significant investment from development agency One North East, but this extra £460,000 a year, plus millions of pounds to buy up key sites is no longer available after ministers closed down the quango. One North East provided more than £12m overall for the project.

Over the summer Science City bosses announced chief executive Peter Arnold would be stepping down as a result of Government funding decisions reducing the potential for the project.