MID Cheshire and South Cheshire Colleges are set to become to part of a new further education college for Cheshire and Warrington.

Following a review of further education provision across Cheshire and Warrington, four FE colleges - South Cheshire, West Cheshire, Mid Cheshire and Warrington Collegiate - have agreed to begin a merger process to create a new FE college for Cheshire and Warrington.

Mid Cheshire College has campuses at Northwich and Winsford, and South Cheshire College is based at Crewe.

The recommendation for a FE college for Cheshire and Warrington follows a Joint Area Review of post-16 provision in the region led by the Government’s FE Commissioner, Sir David Collins.

“The new college will have campuses across the three local authorities of Chester and Cheshire West, Cheshire East and Warrington, and will provide even greater choice for learners and respond to the needs of the regional economy as a whole,” he said.

It is proposed that the creation of a FE College for Cheshire and Warrington will be phased, starting with the merger of South Cheshire College and West Cheshire College by January 2017, Mid Cheshire College by August 2017 and Warrington Collegiate by January 2018.

Val Bailey, interim principal and chief executive of Mid-Cheshire College, said: “The Joint Area Review had given all colleges an opportunity to assess the current provision of further education in the region.

“Importantly it has highlighted how we can all work together as a collective to ensure excellent education and training for the benefit of individual students as well as the region as a whole.”

Jasbir Dhesi, principal and chief executive of South Cheshire College, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to develop post-16 education provision across the region that will serve students, employers and local communities for decades to come.

“The driving force behind the Government’s Joint Area Reviews is to ensure that as a region, as is the case across the country, we have the right capacity and high quality provision of education in place to meet the needs of students and employers.”

Sir David added: “The proposal will build on the key strengths of each college, creating a stronger organisation delivering high quality education and skills training for learners and employers.

“The merger will also create a financially robust college that will be more efficient and effective than the existing separate colleges and maximise the benefits to learners and make best use of public funding.

“A FE College for Cheshire and Warrington has the full support of all four colleges, as well as local authorities and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

“The merged college can, through its collective strengths, ensure consistency of quality as well as sustainability and resilience against the challenges faced by all colleges.”

A merger steering group will be formed shortly, with the task of working and consulting with all stakeholders, possibly this autumn, in the development of proposals for the new college.