Great Yarmouth college principal Penny Wycherley who has extended her contract to the end of 2013. Pictured with college chairman Michael Field and students. Picture: James Bass

Education bosses have agreed to look at either merging Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft colleges or keeping them separate as part of a consultation on their futures.

Simon Summers, principal of Lowestoft College. Picture: James Bass

As reported in the EDP last month, both colleges have drawn up a consultation document which has six options on their futures ranging from option one, a standalone version for both colleges, to option six, a merger model which moots the idea of Yarmouth and Lowestoft campuses under the auspices of a new college corporation.

As part of the consultation process both colleges have now agreed to reduce the range of options to two – continue to stand alone while engaging in informal collaboration with partners and to examine in more detail, including a possible financial due diligence exercise, the advantages and disadvantages of joining together.

If the merger plans are agreed at a later date by both college corporations it could lead to reduced management costs but it is said it could also lead to a reduction of local input into governance.

The colleges will now discuss in detail the next stage of the consultation, which comes in the light of financial restraints, and they have pledged there will be two priorities in the decision-making process – improving standards to ensure teaching, learning and assessment is fit for purpose and improving the employer/business focus.