Issue - meetings

Report ED16002

Members were updated on outcomes following consultation with staff, their representatives, stakeholders, and service users, on a proposal to restructure and reduce the adult education service.

The service had faced significant grant reductions in recent years and funding allocation would be devolved regionally to meet identified needs in local skills from 2017/18. Additionally, Ofsted had identified uncertainty for the service’s strategic direction and a lack of agreed plan to address overspend. Ofsted also felt that more community learning grant should be used to support disadvantaged local communities and disengaged adults.

As such, the restructure focused on adults and communities with the greatest need and the curriculum offer at the Kentwood Centre, Penge and Poverest Centre, Orpington would expand. Closing the Widmore site would save approximately £173k and mainstream recreational classes would reduce, although some would relocate to the Poverest and Kentwood sites.Thenew structure was intended to be in place by 1st August 2016.

Following consultation, various local community organisations were approached to identifyalternative ways for continuing a wide range of adult learning activities. Training would also be sought to help tutors provide courses independently and a signposting facility on the Council’s website would be established for courses.

Materialappended to Report ED16002outlined:

·  the Director’s response to staff consultation;

·  responses to the public consultation;

·  details of courses currently available at the adult education sites, numbers of tutors in each curriculum area, rates of pay, and accommodation information;

·  alternative provision currently availablein borough and in adjoining boroughs;

·  an Equality Impact Assessment on likely impacts of the proposed changes and actions that could address these.  

The report was considered by the Education PDS Committee on 19th January 2016 and the published minute of the Committee’s consideration of the item was tabled following earlier circulation to Executive Members. The Committee also considered a petition urging the Council to keep the Widmore site open for Adult Education, the minute for this also previously circulated and tabled.

The Portfolio Holder for Education provided background on the need to consider the restructure. It would not be a case of seeing a number of leisure courses cease; rather, extensive work had been undertaken to find new providers for courses. The Portfolio Holder also highlighted a need to have good signposting for the future provision of courses. 

Although disappointed that the restructure was necessary, and concerned for any social care implications, the Portfolio Holder for Care Services considered the action necessary given the need to prioritise financially, the Council’s financial position leaving little alternative. However, It was comforting that work had been taken forward on alternative provision as outlined at Appendix 4 to Report ED16002.

Referring to adult education benefiting the wider community, Cllr Alexa Michael (Bromley Common and Keston) preferred to see courses currently provided from Widmore provided at the Kentwood and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 356

Following pre-decision scrutiny at the meeting of the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee on 8 July 2015, the Executive recommended that Officers commence consultation with staff, their representatives, stakeholders and service users on proposals to restructure and reduce the adult education service.  The Committee considered a report outlining the outcomes from the public consultation and staff engagement process.

A total of 1,159 responses to the consultation had been received, of which 1,035 were completed and 124 were partial responses.  Of the completed responses, 14 respondents identified themselves as stakeholders and the remainder were students and/or members of the public.   A breakdown of the responses that had been received was attached to the report at Appendix 2.  In addition to this, an Equalities Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached to the report considered by the Committee at Appendix 5.

A significant volume of the feedback that had been received from staff and members of the public expressed concern about the loss of the Widmore site as a key delivery point for adult education and the subsequent loss of specialist subjects from any remaining adult education offer.  Staff, students and other stakeholders also commented on the many benefits that a rich adult education offer brings to both individuals and the communities it serves.  In particular, leisure courses were seen as a lifeline to many, helping to keep people mentally and physically health, preventing social isolation, providing respite to carers, and allowing people to express their creativity.  Concern was expressed that a reduction in provision would have a negative impact on the wellbeing of some residents and lead to increased costs for other services such as health and social care.

Following closure of the consultation period, Officers within the adult education service had been in dialogue with various local community organisations with a view to identifying alternative ways to allow continuation of a wide range of adult learning activities within the Borough should the proposals go ahead.

In considering the report, the Committee noted that there was a range of facilities in the Borough available through a number of providers.  Members stressed the importance of marketing the courses available from alternative providers and signposting service users to the alternative provision.

A Member noted that there was currently a range of specialist equipment at the Widmore Centre and suggested that it would be helpful to complete an inventory of the equipment to ensure that it was not lost.  It was also suggested that when the new curriculum was being developed, consideration should be given to prioritising courses that required specialist equipment that may not be available at alternative locations.

The Committee noted the Impact Assessment Action Plan and asked that the actions were taken forward and addressed, particularly the actions relating to signposting services.

A number of Members acknowledged the obvious impact that the Adult Education Services had on people’s lives but recognised that the service could not remain as it was and needed to me more sustainable as it moved  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55