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College Merger Completed (2010-04-01 )

The final stages of the legal merger of Coleg Llandrillo Cymru in Conwy and Denbighshire and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Gwynedd have been completed.

In communications to the Chair of the Corporation earlier this week, the Office of the Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning confirmed that the proposed merger had been approved. The dissolution of the Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor Board followed, with the expansion of the Coleg Llandrillo Cymru Board to include proportional Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor representation.

The resulting merged College is one of the largest in the UK, with around 1300 staff, over 21,000 students studying at nine campuses across three counties and a turnover of around £45m.

Both Colleges have welcomed the news. John Bellis, Coleg Llandrillo Cymru Corporation Chair commented: “We are delighted to have received Welsh Assembly approval and look forward to the opportunities that this merger will bring. Both Corporations were unanimously in favour of a merger which will bring significant benefits to staff, students and communities throughout the region.”

“This is an important landmark for the College and the areas served by the extended institution” said Huw Evans, OBE, Coleg Llandrillo Cymru Principal. “The merger will provide opportunities to engage with communities and local business in a way which is supportive and sensitive to local needs. Achieving the highest standards remains the top priority as the new College gathers momentum and this can only be of benefit to students and learners in the area."

Some of these benefits are already evident, for example, with preparations well underway for the development of a new Business Point facility at the Dolgellau Campus. The new facility will provide training and support services for employers throughout the region.

Dr Ian Rees, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor Principal agrees: “Both Colleges bring strengths to the merged organisation which we can now build upon as a merged College. The merger will enable us to secure and further develop post-16 education and training opportunities in the area, including opportunities for local businesses.”

From the initial commitment to look at the feasibility of a potential merger, the process took just over a year, including a detailed planning and consultation phase involving several thousand stakeholders.

Without exception, all consultation feedback was supportive of the proposed merger, with respondents recognising the considerable opportunities that a new, merged organisation would bring.

Education Minister Leighton Andrews said: “This merger represents a clear commitment to the future of learners in north Wales. In the past, both institutions have played an important educational role in their area. In the future, as one institution their strengths will be enhanced contributing to our transformation agenda while providing the best possible outcomes for their students.”

Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas commented: “The Welsh Education Minister’s decision to review the efficiency of the education infrastructure is a challenge for all who are involved in provision, especially post-16 provision. The merger of Llandrillo and Meirion-Dwyfor will create a robust college in the North that will be able to respond to any new challenge. I am very pleased to be able to support this development.”

For learners, going to College will feel much the same as it did before, but with positive developments. The Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor name will be retained, learners won’t have to travel any further than normal, the choice of language of study will stay the same and there are plans to further extend the learning opportunities available, including the expansion of undergraduate opportunities for learners across the three counties.

For more information, go to www.llandrillo.ac.uk/merger or www.meirion-dwyfor.ac.uk/merger.

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