Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Education, Skills and Early Years which sought approval to accept the funding allocation for the academic year 2022-2022 for the Lifelong Learning Service.
The report provided detail of the funding offer received from the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) funding allocations of the Adult Education Budget grant for the 2022-2023 academic year and highlighted how this funding would be used to meet the ESFA’s, GMCA’s and Council’s key priorities.
Following devolution of the Adult Education Budget, the Council’s Lifelong Learning Service was now funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Prior to devolution this was directly awarded by the Education & Skills Funding Agency).
The Service delivery was designed to meet the GMCA Strategy Council’s ambition and key objectives as set out in the Corporate Plan and to support the Oldham Partnership Our Future. The Service worked with the 6 district partnerships with a focus upon the Council’s ‘Get Oldham Working’ campaign and the Co-operative Agenda.
The Service delivered a range of employability programmers in liaison with the Employment and Skills team (GOW), Job Centre Plus, Welfare to Work Providers and the 6 districts. The Service also works closely with the Voluntary and Community sector via Action Together. Partnerships with Children’s Centres, Schools, Public Health, Adult and Children Social Care and others to enable the Service to deliver targeted work which develops self-reliance, confidence, independence, heath and progression to further learning, training and employment.
For the academic year 2022 – 2023, the Adult Education Budget would continue to be split based on the initial 2019/20 geographical delivery with an allocation of GMCA Devolved Education Budget. The allocation provided for the service was a total of £2,804,560.02.
All funds were to be used to support Oldham Lifelong Learning Service’s Strategic Plan, Self-Assessment Report (SAR), Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), the Oldham Community Learning Plan and Lifelong Learning Service’s Business Plan and the Council Corporate Plan. The funding would also support the GM Strategy and GM Local Industrial Strategy and in negotiation with GMCA it will maintain the position of prioritising Adult Skills funded provision.
The Adult Education Budget (AEB) block grant aimed to engage adults and provide skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or other learning. It enabled more flexible tailored programmes of learning to be made available, which may not require a qualification. This would help those furthest from learning or the workplace.
Options/Alternatives considered
Option 1 - To accept the funding and to enter into suitable funding agreements.
Option 2 - To decline the funding.
RESOLVED – That the funding of £2,804, 560.02.for the academic year 2022-2023 be accepted.