Reaseheath College and North Shropshire College announce outcome of merger

Reaseheath College and North Shropshire College have successfully worked closely together in federation for over a year, sharing best practice and quality improvement projects, and have achieved significant benefits for learners in North Shropshire, but unfortunately long-term funding is not available to support a potential merger.

The college management teams and governors of both institutions were keen to build on these initial benefits and have been working with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the Treasury Transaction Unit (TU), for the past 10 months, to secure sufficient funds. Despite best efforts and long discussions, the ESFA and the TU have been unable to fund a merger sufficiently to enable the college management teams and governors to recommend with confidence that the financial support offered will ensure a successful merger.

A huge amount of work and expense has gone into this over the past 18 months and both college management teams and governors are extremely disappointed with this outcome.

North Shropshire College and their management team will now work with the ESFA and the FE Commissioner to find an alternative solution.

A spokesperson for both colleges said: ‘Following extensive discussions with the Government Transaction Unit, a decision has been made not to proceed to formal merger between Reaseheath College and North Shropshire College.

The conclusion to this process is disappointing to both colleges and the Government, but we have explored all possible long-term funding support and unfortunately there is not a viable solution.’