THIRTY staff have been made redundant from an award-winning management consultancy firm in Oxfordshire.

Newton Europe, based in Kingston Bagpuize near Abingdon, was named Business of the Year in the 2016 Oxfordshire Business Awards.

But now it has emerged that 30 staff left the company last month.

Only three of the staff worked from the county headquarters, and the firm now has 225 employees.

Company spokeswoman Holly Tyzack said: “It is a natural part of the professional services market that companies experience ebbs and flows in client activity.

“In responding to these conditions Newton has recently made a small reduction in its UK workforce.

“We can confirm that the decision has been made with the interests of both our employees and our clients in mind, and most importantly to ensure the business remains strong for the future.

“Ultimately our success over the years has been built on our ability to adapt as our sector evolves, and we will continue to do so.”

At last year’s business awards, the company’s director James Frost said it was ‘superb’ when the firm also won the Employer of the Year Award and the Large Business Award.