Residents, students and parents have just over a week to give their thoughts on Epping Forest College's (EFC) impending merger.

On August 1 the Borders Lane institution will join New City College, which was formed following the mergers of Tower Hamlets College and Hackney Community College in August 2016, and then Redbridge College in April 2017.

The group currently supports 16,000 students and all three colleges are rated 'good' by Ofsted.

When EFC joins their ranks it will add a further 2,200 learners over 16 years-old to the mix, becoming the third biggest college group in the country.

Leaders at the Essex college hope the merger will helps its educational and economic fortunes turnaround, with a second financial notice last week spelling further worries for the 'requires improvement' rated institution.

If a further planned link-up with Havering College and Havering Sixth Form College goes ahead early next year, then EFC would be part of a group with a combined £106m annual turnover.

Part of the consultation document reads: "This merger proposal is based upon a desire to see Epping Forest College continue this positive journey and to become an outstanding place to learn.

"We believe that this can be best achieved within the New City College Group, which will provide financial stability, investment, growth opportunities and a scale to enable efficiencies to be made.

"These are challenging times for further education colleges. Continuous funding pressures and changing markets require colleges to look afresh at their strategic direction and how best they can serve their communities.

"This merger proposal is grounded in better meeting the needs of our students and the communities that we serve, so that we can enable economic and social mobility, allowing individuals to improve their life chances and thrive in a dynamic yet competitive regional employment market."

Epping Forest College students will not have to make a 13 mile commute to the Hackney College, instead remaining in Loughton.

However, staff numbers might be cut as the college aims to "manage staff costs down by voluntary means over the near to medium term."

To read the consultation document and to have your say before June 3, go to www.efc.ac.uk/uploads/EFC_NCC_Merger_proposal.pdf