A public consultation on the proposed merger of Canterbury College and East Kent College is underway.

The further education colleges started working together in the summer and are now looking at a merger in August ahead of the start of the next academic year in September.

They were brought closer together by the appointment of East Kent College principal Graham Razey as principal of Canterbury.

He said: “We believe this merger is the right thing to do in order to secure a vibrant further education offering for the people, employers and communities of east Kent.

“We’ve developed a robust plan to bring the colleges together as a group which will deliver real and tangible benefits to all of the communities and students we serve.”

Under the merger proposals, the two colleges will form a new organisation called The East Kent Colleges Group.

It would comprise colleges in Canterbury, Broadstairs, Sheerness, Folkestone and Dover. Each college would be designed to reflect local identities and be geared towards education which serves their local economies.

The merger is being steered by a special Transition Board made up of governors from the East Kent and Canterbury colleges.

Board chairman Beverley Aitken said: “We have worked hard to develop a strategic proposition, mission, vision and values which are consistent with what we, and our staff and student bodies, believe further education is about – delivering for our communities, our students and employers.

“We want to ensure our colleges can enhance the areas we serve, and deliver the right skills for our communities’ future prosperity. This merger will secure that.”

Canterbury College went through a period of upheaval at the tail end of its previous principal’s leadership.

Alison Clarke resigned her position in July with the college penniless and asking the Skills Funding Agency for money to pay salaries.

A report published by the Further Education Commissioner in February concluded that she had been “controlling and dictatorial” with a management style that left staff “petrified into dysfunction”.

The commissioner noted that since Mr Razey became principal significant improvements had been taken place at Canterbury.

Log on to www.canterburycollege.ac.uk/mergerconsultation or www.eastkent.ac.uk/mergerconsultation to read the consultation proposals.

The consultation runs until April 17. To make a submission email publicconsultation@eastkent.ac.uk or write to Sharon Hollingsworth, Canterbury College, New Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3AJ.