A NEWLY formed college group has revealed some of its staff could lose their jobs following a big merger.

Sussex Coast College Hastings and Sussex Downs College merged to form the East Sussex College Group last month, with the new institution being spread across five main campuses.

The group, which employs more than 1,500 people, is considering making redundancies across the whole group due to certain roles “not being necessary any more” after the merger.

A spokesman for the college said: “The new college group is talking to all staff, including teachers and their unions, about ensuring a positive financial future that delivers an outstanding education to students.

“The discussions will include salaries and the possibility of some redundancies where posts are duplicated.”

The college group teaches some 18,000 students in total and has an estimated annual turnover of £52 million.

The students include mature students on short programmes, those aged 16 to 18, and hundreds of higher education students.

The college appointed a new leadership team in the lead up to the merger, with the aim of its facilities becoming “go-to colleges” for their communities.

Six new senior staff were appointed across the group, along with new CEO Clive Cooke.

Two of the college group’s campuses are based in Hastings, with one each in Lewes, Newhaven and Eastbourne.

The new college group was formed after a Government review in 2016 recommended the two colleges look at options for a merger.

Nicholas Charles, South East regional officer for the National Union of Teachers, said: “We are meeting regularly with the employer and are meeting again for an update in June.

“We have discussed duplication and amalgamation of roles.

“Most of the duplication takes place in back office and group wide positions rather than teaching.”

Linda Walker, Unison’s East Sussex branch secretary, said: “They are still in the consultation stages.

“It seems they are planning to take away lots of support staff and safeguarding staff.

“They are also clustering courses together which will cause a disconnect between the learners and the tutors. It is concerning.”

The college group would not comment further due to the situation’s “sensitivity”.