Merger Becomes Official
1st August 2012
Members of staff of Leek College joined with their new colleagues at partner institution, Buxton College today (Wednesday August 1) to mark their official welcome to the University of Derby group.
The University of Derby's Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Coyne, and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Liz Barnes, met with staff and announced two senior appointments for the joint Further Education (FE) provision to mark the occasion.
The previous Head of Buxton College, Mary Blauciak, has been appointed Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality; and previous Vice-Principal of Leek College, Julia Leonard, has become Vice-Principal of Operations. The provision will be headed up by Professor Liz Barnes following the retirement of former Principal, Rob Morrey, who was pivotal in forging the partnership.
Professor Coyne said: "Over the last year we have worked closely with Leek College and its community to explore the benefits of this merger to their students, industry partners and local communities, and were pleased to discover we had so much support.
"We were delighted to formally welcome staff and students of Leek College into the University of Derby 'family' today. We know that combining the expertise of Leek with Buxton College and the University will bring enhanced opportunities to learners from across the Staffordshire Moorlands and the High Peak. We see this relationship as a tremendous boost for education in the area."
The new Vice-Principal of Operations for the joint FE provider, Julia Leonard, added: "Many staff from across the University, Leek and Buxton have worked closely over the past 15 months to enable us to join together today.
"This hard work is testament to the optimism we have for the future, and our shared belief in the positive benefits for learners and the wider community of this merger."
Vice-Principal for Curriculum and Quality, Mary Blauciak, said: "Over the next year we shall work to build capacity and excellence by developing the existing and complementary provision, and pulling together the expertise and specialism of both organizations.
"There will also be opportunities for both organizations to benefit from the provision offered by each other and to extend the range of the curriculum at each site."
For more information on any of the courses offered by Buxton or Leek Colleges, and for details on how to start from this September, visit websites www.buxtoncollege.ac.uk or www.leek.ac.uk
Dissolution of Leek College corporation
At the meeting of the Corporation held on the 31st July 2012 it was unanimously resolved that taking into account:
- The reports on the legal and financial due diligence exercises
- the outcome of the public consultation on the proposed merger
- the withdrawal by the University of the condition that work on the capital project should be deferred
- the resolution of the Governing Council of the University to accept the assets, property, rights and liabilities of the Corporation
- the agreement between the College and the University on the final form of the transfer deed
- the letter of 26th July 2012 from the Chief Executive (Interim) of the SFA accepting the University's assurances in response to Geoff Russell's letter of 3rd June 2012
The Corporation of Leek College of Further Education and School of Art be dissolved and its assets, property, rights and liabilities be transferred to the University of Derby Limited with effect from 1
st August 2012.
Draft Resolution to Dissolve Leek College Corporation
Notice is hereby given that at its meeting on 26 June 2012 the Corporation of Leek College of FE and School of Art decided that it intends to pass the following draft resolution at its meeting on 31 July 2012:
"That, taking into account the reports on the legal and financial due diligence exercises and the outcome of the public consultation on the proposed merger and subject to a resolution of the Governing Council of the University to accept the assets, property, rights and liabilities of the Corporation, the Corporation of Leek College of Further Education and School of Art be dissolved and its assets, property, rights and liabilities be transferred to the University of Derby Limited with effect from 1 August 2012.”
Published 27 June 2012
Merger Update 13th June 2012
Progress towards the merger of Leek College with the University of Derby continues and the transfer is on target to take place on 31st July.
The statutory public consultation ran from 9th March to 13th April and public consultation has now ended.
The final response to the public consultation can be viewed by clicking here.
Thank you to everyone who took time to respond to the consultation document.
Skills Funding Agency Details
Website: http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/providers/all the latest/consultations/
Email: providerreorganisations@skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk
Postal: Geoff Russell, Chief Executive of Skills Funding
Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry CV1 2WT