A planned college merger tipped to bring economic benefits to Shropshire has been scrapped.

Walford and North Shropshire and Reaseheath College, in Nantwich, have shelved plans to merge into one institution.

The surprise move comes despite claims from bosses at the colleges that there would have been strong benefits for the counties’ residents had the move gone ahead.

Heads of both specialist colleges said that they believed a merged institution could have provided a better educational experience and wider curriculum for current and future students.

Results of a feasibility study, carried out by independent consultants, governors and management teams of both colleges over several months, confirmed the potential benefits of a merger.

But Andrew Tyley, WNSC principal and chief executive, said today: “Many benefits for merger were iden- tified and a great deal of synergy exists between both colleges, particularly relating to our mission and core values.

“This detailed work undertaken by both management teams and governors has identified num- erous areas where we could work together for the benefit of our learners and stakeholders.

“The outcome of this work, however, has determined that at this time a merger is not the preferred course of action.

“There are opportunities for both colleges to continue to work together in the future and to make use of collaborative opportunities identified and the good relationships and understanding developed between both colleges during the past six months or so.”

Reaseheath principal Meredydd David said: “I am sure that there are opportunities for both colleges to continue to work together in the future, making use of the collaborative opportunities we have identified and the good relationships and understanding which has developed between us.”

Any merged college would have boasted three campuses in Oswestry, Walford and Nantwich.

Had the merger gone ahead, both colleges were expected to benefit from the provision offered by each other and to extend the range of the curriculum across the three sites.

By Tom Johannsen