Russell backs merger plan

Education Secretary Mike Russell has urged Edinburgh’s Telford College to resume talks with Stevenson and Jewel & Esk colleges over plans for a three-way merger.

He said the Scottish Government should “force the pace” on college mergers to ensure savings are made quickly.

Mr Russell has previously indicated his desire to remove “wasteful duplication” across the college sector by setting up regional groupings of institutions.

Telford declined to get involved in plans for such a merger earlier this year, but Mr Russell said that it would produce “very positive outcomes”.