DORSET’S adult learning services will come under one umbrella from next year.

Bournemouth Council’s cabinet yesterday voted to proceed with the merger of Skills and Learning Bournemouth and Poole with Dorset Adult Learning.

Councillors were told that the merger of Bournemouth and Poole’s services last year had saved around £350,000 and also seen its Ofsted rating improve from ‘satisfactory’ to ‘good’.

With funding levels from government continuing to reduce, merging the entire county from August 2013 has been recommended.

Borough of Poole will be the new lead authority for the merged service.

There would be no front line job losses, but a report presented to the meeting explained that some duplicated middle and senior management jobs would no longer be needed.