Merger plans could have severe consequences for York Sixth Form College, a former chairman of the governors warned today.

Malcolm Hainsworth claimed the proposal to merge with York College of Further & Higher Education would reduce parental choice in York and could lead to the departure of fine teaching staff.

He called for a "flawed" public consultation exercise into the proposal to be extended, so that secondary schools whose pupils will be affected by the change can have more chance to consult with parents.

Mr Hainsworth, who was chairman for several years until the early 1990s, also claimed the consultation document had been "vacuous, platitudinous and confusing."

The two colleges have claimed that merger will mean better use of resources, more choice and greater flexibility for students planning their post-16 education. They say they will retain separate identities but with one principal and one governing body.

Sixth Form College principal Mike Galloway said today the five-week consultation exercise, which finished on Monday, had been "longer than the four-week norm" elsewhere.

Another consultation exercise would be conducted in the autumn by the Further Education Funding Council if the proposal was going ahead.

He said the majority of responses had been favourable, and the matter, agreed in principle in March, was due to be discussed tonight by a joint meeting of the governors.

He added that if Mr Hainsworth wanted to give his views they would be considered along with those of other respondents.

Mr Hainsworth said: "York Sixth Form College has been one of the best sixth form colleges in the country and has fine staff with good academic records."

But he said the consultation document had referred to "harmonising conditions of service" between the two colleges, and he feared that would mean a deterioration of conditions for sixth form staff, leading to some departing. He said an internal survey had shown that the vast majority of staff were unhappy about the merger plan.

He felt merger, which involves the formation of a single corporation embracing both colleges, would effectively lead to the creation within a short time of one college. This would be a "monopoly provider", meaning that competition would be lost and choice reduced for parents.

He said there had long been collaboration and this could suitably be extended further without total merger, which he feared would lead to asset-stripping on both college sites.

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