Skills Funding Agency Conditions of Funding Allocation for and the extension of the current Community Learning Contracts

Transcription

1 Skills Funding Agency Conditions of Funding Allocation for and the extension of the current Community Learning Contracts AGENDA NO: Cabinet Date 15 April 2015 Children & Young People and Strategic Commissioning Key Decision Background Documents Cllr Paul McLain Yes Contract for Services Education and Training. Skills Funding Agency September 2014 Location/Contact for inspection of Background Documents Main Consultees Mark Hewlett, Commissioning Manager Adult Learning Tel: Adult Education providers, Further Education Colleges, Community and Voluntary Organisations and the Skills Funding Agency Planned Dates Divisional Councillor Officer Purpose of Report NA Peter Holmes, Head of Extended Learning. Tel: To approve the funding agreement 2015/16 between Gloucestershire County Council and the Skills Funding Agency and engage in a commissioning process for Adult Skills Contracts. 2. To approve exercising the option to extend existing Community Learning Contracts until 31 st July A cabinet decision was made in Feb 2014 to grant these contracts for a duration of two years (Aug July 2016) with an option to break or extend for the second year from Aug We are seeking permission to extend for the second year. That Cabinet: Recommendations 1. authorise entering into the funding agreement in 2015/16 for the funding of Adult Learning with the Skills Funding Agency and engagement in a commissioning process.

2 2. approve exercising the option to extend existing Community Learning Contracts until 31 st July Reasons for recommendations Resource Implications Without Skills Funding Agency funding, the Adult Learning Commissioning and Delivery Service would not be able to continue in 2015/16 as there is no immediate or alternative source of funding available. The council would need to manage the resulting costs of liabilities in relation to staff and premises. The funding available from the Skills Funding Agency for the Adult Education service for 2015/16 will total 2.7 million.

3 MAIN REPORT CONTENTS Background Gloucestershire County Council has been receiving funding for Adult Education from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), formerly the Learning and Skills Council, since April Funding has continued annually on an academic year basis with mutually agreed schedules for work and learning delivery. For 2015/16 the Skills Funding Agency will require Gloucestershire County Council to enter into a Conditions of Funding Agreement for 2.7 million that contains agreed delivery of learning for: Community Learning, (Personal and Community Development Learning, Wider Family Learning, Family English, Maths and Language, and Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities) Adult Skills Apprenticeships The Conditions of Funding also requires that organisations register as a Skills Funding Agency provider and comply with their requirements. This covers issues to do with health and safety, equalities, sub contracting, data collection and return and sub contracting arrangements. Gloucestershire County Council is fully compliant with all their requirements. Funding from the agency enables over 7,000 adults, particularly from the most disadvantaged communities across the county to access learning in their local community. It enables adults move into vocational training, employment and setting up their own businesses as well as help others to improve their health and wellbeing and to support sustainable communities The contract with the Skills Funding Agency was executed under seal in 2014, and it is anticipated that the 2015/16 contract will follow the same format as previous documents. A significant proportion ( 2.06 million) of the contract consists of funding for Community Learning. The Skills Funding Agency have guaranteed the same level of Community Learning funding for 2014/15 & 2015/16. Consequently a cabinet decision was made in Feb 2014 to grant Community Learning contracts for the duration of two years (Aug July 2016) with an option to extend or break for the second year from Aug 2015 subsequent to a confirmation of continued funding. The Skills Funding Agency have confirmed that the same level of Community Learning funding is available for , thus we are seeking approval to extend for the second year. Options 1. To authorise entering into funding agreement for Adult Education in Gloucestershire for 2015/16 between Gloucestershire County Council and the Skills Funding Agency to a value of 2.7 million. Subsequent to this to also approve the extension of the community learning contracts for the second year of the term.

4 2. To discontinue Skills Funding Agency Agreement. The resource implications of this would be; a) The Adult Learning Commissioning and Delivery Service would not continue in 2015/16 without the 2.7 million from the SFA as there is no immediate or alternative source of funding available. The council would need to pick up the costs of liabilities in relation to staff and premises. Sub-contracted Community Learning Partners would also not be able to deliver county wide learning programmes in b) The council would not be able to utilise this funding to contribute to developing skills in the local economy and this would impact adversely on community and voluntary organisations that are sub contracted to deliver training. Risk Assessment The main risk in relation to this proposal is not securing funding and being unable to deliver training and incurring liabilities as a consequence. This risk is assessed as low because the Skills Funding Agency is contractually committed to give twelve months notice of any significant changes to contract values and no notice has been issued. Officer Advice Officers advise that - 1. Cabinet approve the continuing funding agreement with the Skills Funding Agency as this will enable the adult learner programme within the county to continue. This provides enhanced skills for employment and contributes to the quality of life of the communities in which learners live. 2. Cabinet approve the extension of the existing Community Learning contracts for the second year in accordance with the cabinet decision of April The Skills Funding Agency have confirmed that the same level of funding is available for Equalities considerations The provision targets learners within the protected characteristic groups and sets targets to reach more adult learners as a proportion of all those taking part in learning than is represented in the wider community. We use local community providers who are able to reach adults within the protected characteristics groups. There is access for learners to all areas of the curriculum, and the curriculum strategy does not differentiate or discriminate between age groups, gender, race, or disability. Adults recovering from mental health problems are supported into independent living and employment. Cabinet Members should read and consider the Due Regard Statement in order to satisfy themselves as decision makers that due regard has been given.

5 Consultation feedback In order to meet council requirements for procuring the provision of sub-contracted learning for 2015/16 the Adult Education Service will be consulting interested providers to continue the process by which learning will be commissioned. This includes FE colleges, schools, and other training, community and voluntary organisations. All new sub-contracting opportunities will be advertised and awarded using the GCC Procontract system. Performance Management/Follow-up Key targets and performance indicators will be agreed with each provider and included in their contracts. A programme of reviews will be conducted with providers to assess performance against targets, particularly in the areas of numbers and types of learner, target groups, guided learning hours and learner hours. The contract is regularly monitored by the Skills Funding Agency through monthly data returns, and contract review meetings are held as required throughout the year. The Skills Funding Agency have introduced new funding rules with effect from September 2015 which require Governing Body/Directors and Accounting Officers to ensure that all sub-contracts meet strategic aims and enhance the quality of the offer to learners. Whilst this has been an implicit aim of the contracting process, it is intended that all future subcontracting decisions will be referred to the Commissioning Board, for detailed scrutiny prior to approval by Cabinet, to help meet this requirement. A report showing the contracts for extension for (appendix 1) is attached with a copy of the Curriculum Strategy (appendix 2) to indicate how the contracts meet GCC priorities.

6 Report Title Report title: To approve the Skills Funding Agency Conditions of Funding Allocation for and to approve exercising the option to extend existing Community Learning Contracts until 31 st July 2016 Statutory Authority Relevant County Council policy Resource Implications The funding available from the Skills Funding Agency for the Adult Education service for 2015/16 will total 2.7 million Sustainability checklist: Partnerships Decision Making and Involvement Economy and Employment Caring for people Social Value Built Environment Natural Environment including Ecology This includes FE colleges, schools, and other community and voluntary organisations in Gloucestershire. Community and voluntary group participation in Adult Education projects involving decision making. Employability and progression towards employment are embedded in learning opportunities. Adult Education aims to enable adults to improve their lives and those of their families, provides enhanced skills for employment and contributes to the quality of life of the communities in which they live. Community Learning Courses have a wide social impact. Responses to the Adult Education Learning Impact Survey 2014 indicated that learners reported the following wider benefits- Improved Health & sense of well being % Improved Self confidence % Likely to be more involved in the community % Felt that participation in the learning helped to improve their job or work prospects - 84% Adult Education promotes courses that support the three strands of sustainability: environmental, social and economic; including programmes aimed at supporting new and existing organisations as well as groups of individuals to become self sustaining in a way that supports society. Adult Education supports courses that protect and support the natural environment

7 (Biodiversity) Education and Information Tackling Climate Change Carbon Emissions Implications? Positive/ Neutral/ Negative Vulnerable to climate change? Yes/ No/ Maybe Due Regard Statement Has a Due Regard Statement been completed? Yes Yes - considerations included in main body of report A copy of the full Due Regard Statement can be accessed on GLOSTEXT via Alternatively a hard copy is available for inspection from Jo Moore, Democratic Services Unit, jo.moore@gloucestershire.gov.uk. Human rights Implications Consultation Arrangements None In order to meet council requirements for procuring subcontracted learning for 2015/16 the Adult Education Service will consult interested providers to establish the process by which learning will be commissioned. This includes FE colleges, schools, and other community and voluntary organisations.