Have your say on Polytech merger

BoPP Council chairman Ian Turner

Public consultation on the proposed merger of Waiariki Institute of Technology and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic has begun, with both organisations hoping the wider Bay of Plenty community will have its say.

The proposal is to disestablish the existing organisations and form an entirely new institution serving the Bay of Plenty region.

It would have a new name, identity and organisational culture, said Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce yesterday.

"I've spoken with the Council Chairs who confirm both polytechnics have consulted with their staff and regional stakeholders, and spoken with their learners. They indicate their proposal does not take anything away from either Rotorua or Tauranga, but would build on the best of both institutions to improve results across the entire region," Mr Joyce said.

Waiariki Council acting chairman Dr Neil Barns said many of the issues raised during consultation to date needed to be addressed.

"It is our wish to work closely with all of the communities that the two institutions serve to design and implement a combined tertiary institution that better serves their needs.

"To do that we need and welcome input and involvement of iwi, community, industry and local government representatives. We will be talking with a number of community leaders over the next few weeks to understand how best to engage with them going forward and what level of involvement they would like to have."

BoPP Council chairman Ian Turner said it was still too early to determine where a head office, if there was one, would likely be based.

Mr Turner was also unable to rule out job losses.

"The information is well noted that there will possibly be some reductions of the senior level but we've got consultation ... we can't just say we are going to make you redundant.

"They've got jobs to do. There's still delivery of programmes to 10,000 or so students.

"I can't guarantee that there won't be redundancies, but that is not the intention. Making redundancies is not a reason for this proposal.

"It's that we retain those two strong, successful and vibrant institutions. We use the combined resources of them to expand the delivery of education across the region.

"It's a positive thing, not a defensive thing."

According to a fact sheet supplied by the institutions "individual employment would be transferred over to the new institution on existing terms and conditions".

Mr Turner said there were plans to establish "centres of excellence" as part of the merger.

These centres would reflect the core strengths at each facility, such as marine studies at the polytechnic or forestry at Waiariki, he said.

Polytech merger consultation

* Public consultation opened yesterday and runs until September 22.

* To make a submission visit www.tec.govt.nz/consultation