Greater London Authority Act 2007

Written submission from the Association of Colleges London Region (GLA 05)

AoC London Region’s Submission to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Consultation on the Greater London Authority Act 2007.

1. AoC’s role

The Association of Colleges (AoC) represents and promotes the 341 Colleges in England incorporated under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, including 94 Sixth Form Colleges and 247 Further Education Colleges. Colleges educate 853,000 people aged 16 to 18, almost twice as many as school sixth forms. [1] [2] This includes 185,000 young people taking A-levels [3] . Colleges also train over one quarter of the total 240,000 apprentices aged 16-18 [4] . In addition, they have a growing role in the education of those of compulsory school age, including 55,000 14 to 15 year olds taking part-time courses and 3,000 studying full-time [5] ]. 45 Colleges are either lead sponsors or co-sponsors of academies [6] . Colleges account for 33% of entrants to higher education. [7]

AoC London/London Colleges Key facts

London’s 49 Further Education, Sixth Form and specialist Colleges educate and train around 400,000 young people and adults every year. They employ 26,000 people and have a collective turnover of £1.1bn.

London Colleges are at the heart of providing the skills and qualifications - from A levels and apprenticeships to degrees and higher levels skills – London employers and citizens need to continue to make their mark.

AoC London supports London Colleges in delivering maximum social and economic benefit for people, business and communities, and contributes to the region’s social and economic agenda. In 2012 AoC London published ‘London’s Learning: A Manifesto for the Mayor from the Capital’s Colleges, ‘London Colleges: What you need to know’, and its recent pamphlet ‘London Colleges Policy and Priorities’. All of these documents can be found on the regional page of the AoC website (www.aoc.co.uk).

2. Context

2.1 National Policy

The education and skills landscape has seen some significant changes in recent years. In 2010 the Government published its skills strategy, Skills for Sustainable Growth, which set out a freer, user-focused further education system which could make a major contribution to economic recovery. The aim of the Coalition Government has been to move away from central targets, and to free up the system giving Colleges greater flexibility and discretion to determine priorities in response to local need. There has been a concomitant shift from central grant funding to the empowerment of employers and individuals for example, through Employer Ownership Pilots and 24+ Advanced Learning Loans (greater ‘personalisation’).

In November 2012 the Government consulted on Chartered Status for FE institutions [8] . This is part of the agenda for meeting local need by deregulating and allowing the FE sector to determine the right offer for their local communities. The consultation period is now closed and responses are currently being considered by Government. In principle, AoC supports the proposal for Chartered Status for FE Colleges because it allows them to demonstrate their responsiveness to local communities as well as offering legal protection for the title ‘chartered college’.

2.2 London Colleges Key Policy Priorities

In the context of London’s needs and the significant role of London Colleges in meeting these needs, AoC London has recently published London Colleges' five top policy priorities (December 2012):

· Promoting Young people’s Participation and Engagement;

· Delivering the Skills London Employers Need

· Reducing Adult Unemployment

· Maximising Apprenticeship opportunities in London

· Ensuring Social Cohesion and adding value.

London Colleges aim to develop the skills of the London workforce at all levels and support those who are unemployed to meet the demands of the London labour market. London Colleges have been demonstrably responsive to addressing London’s priorities for example, with growth of Apprenticeships, employability programmes, basic skills, higher level skills, and accessing ESF funding.

2.3 Local partnerships

To deliver the skills that meet the needs of their local areas Colleges work in close and dynamic partnership with local stakeholders. This includes local employers with their knowledge of skills they need and will require, the London boroughs with their extensive knowledge and connectivity to inform the skills agenda, and Job Centre Plus in terms of getting people into and back into sustainable work in their localities.

2.4 London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB) 2007 – 2010

London Colleges were represented on the LSEB at Principal/CEO level. The LSEB was responsible for delivering a long-term strategy for adult skills and employment in London. The Board was charged with providing leadership in improving adult skills and employment in London. The LSEB was employer-led and chaired by the Mayor of London. Its purpose incorporated strategic direction of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC) adult skills budget and sought to influence the spending and priorities of other key agencies such as Jobcentre Plus, the London Development Agency (LDA) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Its terms of reference were to formulate and publish a strategy and annual plan for adult (post 19) skills training and employment in London; regularly review the strategy; produce an annual report setting out progress on implementation; contribute to the allocation of European Social Fund monies in London; and make recommendations to the Mayor, Secretary of State, the LSC, LDA and other relevant bodies and organisations on issues related to its responsibilities.

The LSEB evidence base ‘The London Story’, and its strategies ‘London’s Future: The Skills and Employment Strategy for London 2008 -13’, and ‘From Recession to Recovery: The Skills and Employment Strategy for London (2009 -2014)’ published in December 2009, identified a number of the key economic and social/issues/challenges for London.

However, the LSEB was stood down shortly afterwards in 2010. Whilst this makes it more difficult to evaluate its legacy and impact, the work of the LSEB will have helped inform the transition and work of the new body, the London Enterprise Panel established in 2011.

2.5 London Enterprise Panel

London Colleges work to support the goals of the London Enterprise Panel (LEP). The LEP has key purposes which centre on providing strategic investment to support private sector growth and employment; promoting enterprise and innovation and the acquisition of skills for sustained employment in London; and protecting and enhancing London’s competitiveness.

As a result of London’s unique governance arrangements, the London Enterprise Panel has an advisory role, and does not deliver of services.

A key component of the LEP is the Skills and Employment Working Group. The Chair of AoC London, the Principal of Hackney Community College, is a member of the Group.

The LEP Skills and Employment Working Group have been tasked by the Mayor to develop a vision for employment and skills in the capital and the group is expected to publish its statement later this year.

2.6 London Assembly and the Greater London Authority (GLA)

London Colleges have an ongoing working relationship with the GLA through a number of mechanisms. This includes regular liaison with the Deputy Mayors for both Education, and Business and Enterprise together with senior officials. This provides a valued and productive link with the Mayor’s office and the London Assembly. AoC London welcomes the Mayor’s contribution towards Apprenticeships across the capital and his commitment to working with London’s businesses to help boost employment by offering apprenticeships to either new or existing employees.

3. Looking Forward

AoC London wholeheartedly agrees that growth is rightly at the heart of London’s regional and local strategies. London Colleges recognise and value their prominent role in developing both regional and local skills strategies.

Further Education Colleges are independent, autonomous, self governing organisations with a range of stakeholders and accountabilities. Government has been committed to freeing Colleges from central government control, steering accountability outwards to the College’s local communities, learners and employers.

College Governors have a collective responsibility for developing a responsive and diverse sector, working with employers, schools, academies, independent training organisations, universities, local authorities and the voluntary sector. Colleges play a crucial role in responding to the current, future and changing needs and demands of a dynamic economy and society, contributing to the work of the LEP in driving local economic growth, and working with the local community leaders and the business sector.

In this context we emphasise the criticality of local decision-making, collaborative working and ensuring maximum resources go to the frontline.

Systems which give considerable autonomy to the local unit have tended to be more successful, as have governance regimes which recognise local stakeholder involvement [9] .

The formation of creative partnerships is seen as key to realising London’s ambitions. Breaking down the barriers to creative partnership working, new models of engagement and collaboration can be a shared, common purpose.

The flexibility to respond to changing patterns of demand, and needs, of London’s communities and businesses is crucial. There is a real risk that any added layers of bureaucracy, or further compartmentalisation of resources could hinder responsiveness, effective and efficient deployment of resources and potentially divert resources away from front line delivery.

London Colleges recognise:

· The benefit of learning from the practice and successes of the first round of City Deals where LEPs and local authorities are working together to stimulate local economies;

· The London Enterprise Panel and Skills and Employment Working Group is consulting with all relevant local partners including the Chamber of Commerce, London First, Local Authorities, employers and Colleges on their developing strategy;

· LEPs have been charged with a leadership role to steer strategic direction, and should not be impeded by having to take on bureaucratic burdens;

· Again, the crucial importance of partnership working across the London to deliver sustainable economic growth and social inclusion.

London Colleges are therefore committed to:

· Furthering improvement to joint working between employers and Colleges, universities and training providers to ensure London has the skills it requires in the decades to come;

· Practically helping business to increase investment in skills and getting people back into work to boost productivity and growth for London;

· Lobbying for better informed career choices through an independent information, advice and guidance service in London;

· Building a sustainable collaborative model of engagement to deliver skills, employability and growth in London;

· An effective strategic relationship and joint working between the LEP and Colleges’ boards;

· Playing a leading role with the London Enterprise Panel and partners by developing a rolling annual London Statement of Skills Priorities;

· Facilitating an economic and social impact assessment of the total impact of FE in London;

We recommend:

A joint London Skills and Employment ‘Compact’ delivered through nominated representatives of London Colleges, the Mayor’s Office, the GLA, the LEP, London Councils, Job Centre Plus and London First. The Compact can support the LEP and the Skills and Employment Working Group by securing greater leverage in:

· Strategic co-ordination (for example through clear skills representation, building the business and economic case for skills, regional skills networking to share intelligence on priority sectors for London, the "London Skills Priority Statement");

· Leading Policy Change (for example through the joint development of a joint ‘compact’ policy position, making joined up government work at local level);

· Employer Engagement (for example by building an integrated skills and employment offer which is easier for individuals and employers to navigate – improving connectivity of the system, and involving employers in co-design of the skills training offer);

· Employability (for example, by developing an integrated ‘London Works’ framework).

END

February 2013