UNIVERSITY of Bolton bosses have called off a planned merger with Bury College.

 

Governors have decided to halt plans to make Bury College part of the university, blaming ‘a number of issues and complexities’.

But university chiefs stressed that if Bury College can address the issues, discussions can start again. The planned merger of Bolton College with the university will still go ahead and is unaffected by the latest development.

The shock announcement that the university was pulling out was made yesterday following a meeting of the university’s board of governors.

It is the latest chapter in a merger saga which was put forward as part of the Government’s shake-up of post-16 education and would have made the combined university and colleges one of the country’s largest education providers.  The Department for Education as described the merger as innovative and it could have possibly become a national pilot scheme.

The merger with Bolton College will still be held up as a national pilot.

The merger between Bury College and the University of Bolton was believed to be hanging in the balance after college bosses became less receptive to the idea.

Bury College did not make an expected decision about its future at its governors’ meeting last month and now the university has acted to stop the plan in its tracks.

A University of Bolton spokesman said: “The legal and organisational arrangements associated with our merger with Bolton College are on track and making good progress under the leadership of its Principal Bill Webster. In respect of the arrangements with Bury College there have been a number of issues and complexities.

“As a consequence, last night, after extended consideration of the issues at Bury College, the university board of governors decided not to proceed, at this time, with this merger. The university remains convinced of the educational benefits to learners and the community of a three- way merger as originally planned.  “In the event that the governors at Bury act to remedy the issues the university has with the handling of the matter at the college, the university will enthusiastically open new merger discussions with Bury College.”

A spokesman for Bolton College said: “Bolton College is happy to confirm that our plans to merge with the University of Bolton are on track and making progress. We are however disappointed to hear that the opportunity of the wider merger with Bury College will now not be taking place.”

Governors at Bury College were meeting last night to discuss the merger.

Charlie Deane, principal of Bury College, said a report regarding the proposed merger was being considered by the Bury College board of governors last night.

nHAVE YOUR SAY: Email letters@theboltonnews.co.uk