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Proposed Merger of Thurrock and Basildon College with South East Essex College of Arts and Technology
The Learning and Skills Council is launching a public consultation on the proposal received from Thurrock & Basildon College and South East Essex College of Arts and Technology for the two colleges to merge.
The consultation will run from 20th April 2009 until 29th May 2009. Written responses to the proposal are welcomed and should be received by the LSC no later than 5pm on the 29th May 2009.
To:
Terry Collin
Partnership Director
Learning and Skills Council
Redwing House
Hedgerows Business Park
Colchester Road
Chelmsford
Essex CM2 5PB
The proposal to merge is the result of a Strategic Options Review, requested by Thurrock & Basildon College to look at how best they could meet the education, training and skills needs of learners, employers and the wider community. The proposal builds on previous reviews dating back to the Strategic Area Review (StAR) in 2004 and is a response to the regeneration agenda and the changing local skills needs in the area.
Following consideration of the Strategic Options Review, the corporation of Thurrock & Basildon College decided to seek a merger with South East Essex College. Both colleges commissioned a feasibility study on the proposal. Following the outcome of this study, they jointly developed an initial outline proposal for merging
The initial outline proposal was considered by the East of England Learning and Skills Council, who agreed they were content for the colleges to further develop the proposal and undertake local public consultation. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) also agreed that the proposal could go out to public consultation.
Following the public consultation, the colleges will consider the representations made and work together to produce a full proposal to merge. The full proposal will be presented to the East of England Learning and Skills Council and if supported it will be forwarded to the Secretary of State for determination. The date proposed for the establishment of the corporation is 1st January 2010.
The governing body of South East Essex College of Arts of Technology is separately proposing to the Secretary of State that the name of the college be changed to reflect the changed nature of the institution. The new name proposed is South Essex College of Further and Higher Education.
The following documents have been published to inform interested parties and are available to download:
Hard copies of these documents are available on request
