MID Cheshire College has given reassurances about its Winsford campus after a former employee revealed that it is moving courses to Warrington.

Mid Cheshire College, which has campuses in Winsford and Hartford, merged with Warrington Collegiate earlier this year, and a former Mid Cheshire College employee cast doubt over its future when he spoke at a public meeting this week.

Former support teacher Brian Cadwallader, who left the college this year, spoke at Winsford Annual Parish Meeting on Monday, expressing concern that courses are being moved to Warrington Collegiate.

Mr Cadwallader said: “There are students are being moved to Warrington, there are students enrolling on courses being told they are going to Winsford but actually they are being shipped off to Warrington.

“The hair and beauty department is getting shifted, as is the catering department.

“There are some students with young children and they can’t accept the position on a course in Warrington because they can’t take their children on the bus.”

Nichola Newton, principal designate, confirmed that some courses may be moving and stated that the Winsford campus will remain open.

Nichola Newton, principal designate, said: “Plans for the merged college are progressing well and we are on track to meet the vesting date of August 1, 2017. Feedback from, and our response to, the public consultation will be published in the next few weeks and we have already appointed an experienced and able designate senior leadership team who are working hard with stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.

“Our aim is to create a larger, financially stable and economically resilient institution, which will build on and strengthen the educational offering currently provided by the partner colleges at campuses in Hartford, Winsford and Warrington.

“We recognise the importance of ensuring an excellent provision across the three sites and are keen that learners benefit from the outstanding facilities available. Hartford, Winsford and Warrington campuses will feature in our curriculum plans moving forward. “We will make every effort to minimise the impact that any changes may have on our learners. However, in the event of under-recruitment, small class sizes and course viability will have to be considered. If learners are required to travel between sites, we will communicate this to learners and their parents and a free shuttle bus will be available.”

“We have no plans to sell the Winsford campus. Instead, over a period of time, it is our intention to invest in best in class facilities and resources there to meet and exceed industry standards and respond to the skills needs articulated by the Local Enterprise Partnership and the government’s modern industrial strategy.”

Cllr Brian Clarke, member of Winsford Town Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council, was shocked to hear the news.

Cllr Clarke said: “It’s not what we understood was going on. We thought everything was staying as it was.

“We did state a while ago that Winsford and Ellesmere Port are the two most important areas we’ve got and we need the colleges to stay there. It’s one of the biggest assets we have got in the town.

“Winsford needs a college, that’s why we have got it and we need to keep it.”