A UNIVERSITY of Herefordshire could come out of merging two Hereford colleges, councillors heard.
As expected, Herefordshire Council's cabinet strongly supported plans by the Learning and Skills Council to merge Herefordshire College of Technology and Herefordshire College of Art and Design.
The proposed merger is not popular with the principal and governors of the highly-rated art college but is currently being debated as a way of ensuring the viability of both.
Herefordshire Council chief executive Neil Pringle told cabinet that keeping a further education facility in the county was the "overall issue".
The art college, he said, had difficulties in raising income and many of the buildings on the Folly Lane campus were long overdue an upgrade.
Councillor Olwyn Barnett, cabinet member for social care and strategic housing, said the merger was the "pathway to a great future" for Hereford and cornerstone of a future University of Herefordshire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article