Agenda item

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act became law in November 2009.  The act transferred the Learning and Skills Council’s responsibilities for commissioning 16-19 education provision to local authorities from April 2010.    In July 2010 the Department for Education announced changes to the 16-19 commissioning process that would come into effect in August and that new guidance would be published on the role of local authorities in the autumn. This report is to provide an update to the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the progress the local authority has made in planning for and delivering its statutory 16-19 responsibilities and sets out the national policy changes that have taken place since July.

The Committee gave consideration to a report that provided an update on the progress the local authority (LA) had made in planning for and delivering its statutory 16-19 responsibilities together with the national policy changes that had taken place since July. 

John Galligan (Strategic Coordinator) informed the Committee that the guidance on the role of local authorities would be published in the autumn and went on to outline the main changes as follows;

·                The withdrawal of the National Commissioning Framework

·                The removal of the planned in-year adjustments for providers that over-recruit or under-recruit in the academic year 2010-11.

·                The transfer of the direct funding of colleges and training providers from LAs to the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) from 1^st August.

·                The introduction of a 16-19 allocations process based upon lagged learner numbers.  For the 2011/12 academic year the YPLA will allocate funding based upon the providers’ autumn 2010 data returns. 

·                The removal of the requirement to have Regional Planning Groups and sub-regional groupings of LAs.

In drawing members’ attention to Brent’s main priorities as set out in the report, the Strategic Coordinator stated that the Authority would not be able to develop the details of the plan until the publication of the white paper and Commissioning Guidance.  He continued that the Council had continued to plan for and implement its statutory 16-19 functions whilst awaiting the detail that would underpin the Secretary of State’s announcements.  He added that when the Schools White Paper and the new Commissioning Guidance were published the Council would need to make decisions on the resources required to meet its 16-19 statutory duties and whether the Brent 14-19 Partnership would be the best mechanism for their delivery.

Mrs Gouldbourne, in reference to the 2011 funding formula for sixth forms which would be based on success rates, enquired as to which qualifications were being recognised in arriving at the success rates.  The Strategic Coordinator responded that all qualifications excluding AS level were included and added that as from next year AS level would be included.  Councillor Arnold expressed disappointment at the way the government had handled the 16-19 agenda and with the lack of guidance she felt that a vacuum would be created within the system.  In response to a query by Harbi Farah, the Somali community representative about the processes for promoting apprenticeship, the Strategic Coordinator stated that the Council was working closely with all schools, local businesses and with support from the National Apprenticeship Scheme adding that the current economic climate was hampering the scheme’s success.

John Galligan continued that the Council was linking up with Connexions, neighbouring Local Authorities and the College of North West London to develop more foundation work and reduce drop-out rate by reviewing the provision at year 12.  In noting the report, Members emphasised the need for the Council to work in close partnership with the voluntary sector as a means of re-connecting with young people.  The Chair commented that the phasing out of student maintenance allowance would have an adverse impact on the education for post 16. 

RESOLVED:-

That the report on 16-19 agenda be noted.