TWO Northumberland MPs are seeking a top-level meeting before final decisions are taken on the proposed merger of two North East colleges.

Governors at Ashington-based Northumberland College and the Newcastle College Group have agreed in principle to the merger at recent meetings.

However, it still requires the approval of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and business secretary Vince Cable before it can formally go ahead in January.

Now Blyth Valley MP Ronnie Campbell has written to Dr Cable raising concerns about the merger, and questioning the recent public consultation exercise conducted by the SFA.

Mr Campbell has asked for a meeting with Dr Cable, which his colleague, Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery, would also attend, to discuss the concerns. He says he believes the SFA consultation report was skewed in favour of the merger, adding: “I have the feeling that there is an attempt to drive this merger through despite the clear local majority opinion of local stakeholders.”