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Explore challenges and opportunities in devolving the Adult Education Budget, key considerations for effective delivery, and necessary support mechanisms. Feedback and insights from experts driving readiness and timelines for implementation.
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Welcome to… Adult Education Budget Devolution in North Of Tyne: Timelines and Readiness Conditions23rd January 2019
Welcome and IntroductionsAlex Stevenson, Learning and Work Institute
Feedback from the December ‘Challenges and Opportunities’ EventConnor Stevens, Learning and Work Institute
Provision: • Provision must be responsive to residents’ needs • Range of issues / barriers e.g. employment, progression, digital skills, financial capability, health, relationships, drug & alcohol, etc. • Provision must also align with local business e.g. skills needs & growing sectors • Accessibility and availability of provision for learners What key challenges can devolution of the AEB address?
System: • Improve fragmented provider system • Integrated approach: improved engagement pathways, encourage progression and support collaboration over competition • Expand the role of stakeholders in planning and development • Support the engagement of smaller, local providers • Simplify funding, compliance and quality assurance requirements What key challenges can devolution of the AEB address?
Person-centred, integrated approach – improved pathways to enter learning, upskill / re-skill and/or move into / progress in work • Overlapping benefits of adult learning must be recognised and targeted by commissioners – wider range of provision • Collaborative approach with (and between) providers, employers and local stakeholders • Development of provider supply-chains – guarantee the delivery of specialised, tailored provision (and role of local providers) • Simplified systems, processes and requirements What are the key opportunities to deliver AEB more effectively?
Important to explore what model would work best for North of Tyne and what this will look like: • Movement away from “market-driven forces”? • What role will procurement, tendering and grants play? • Less “rigid” use of hard target & increased focus on “soft outcomes” • “Longer-term” contracts and commissioning • Improved commissioning guidelines and management • Resources available for in-year developments – support flexible system What should be done to improve AEB commissioning / oversight?
Engagement: • Continued engagement between North of Tyne and providers via information and dissemination events • Market engagement events: enable providers to meet each other • Wider stakeholder engagement (beyond LEP and main providers) • Continued engagement with ESFA and DfE to support development of devolved offer that fits with national picture • Work with other MCAs to learn from their experience What further support is needed in preparation for devolution of the AEB?
Information and processes: • What will commissioning process involve and what are timelines? • How will funding be allocated and what are NoT’s priorities? • Clear understanding in advance in order to plan effectively • Data and intelligence sharing • Support for smaller providers to meet access market What further support is needed in preparation for devolution of the AEB?
Adult Education Budget Devolution: Combined Authority ‘Readiness’Alex Sutherland, Department for Education
Combined Authority ‘readiness’ Secretary of State assessment
What are Ministers looking for ? • Skills Plan development and • Evidence of operational readiness (including detailed project plan) • Letter from North of Tyne CA, (a) setting out how they expect to improve the exercise of the statutory functions in their area; and (b) stating that they are content they will be ready to deliver the functions for their residents, from academic year 2020/21
What evidence is required ? Arrangements are in place (or will be in time for go-live) in these areas: • Governance • Financial • Procurement • Contracting and Funding Agreements • Payments • AEB policy: rules, eligibility, rates & formulas, provider allocations • Data collection & reporting • Provider management
Governance • A clear constitution (or similar document) which details the governance framework and operating principles, including investigations/complaints and whistleblowing policy for the combined authority. • Confirmation of Internal Audit Committee awareness of the AEB devolution project. • Confirmation that the project is on CA risk register, has been or is due to be audited and the reporting arrangements ?
Financial Compliance with the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Confirmation that Internal Audit team are aware of their responsibilities towards this funding stream,to verify processes and controls.
Procurement What plans, systems and processes are in place for procuring / commissioning AEB provision and how will you ensure compliance with the appropriate legal regulations for procurement.
Contracting & Funding Agreements Are contracting arrangements planned which: • reflect the type of organisation you are contracting with (i.e. not for profit organisation, college/local authority or commercial provider); • define the terms and conditions for provision funded through the AEB?; • allow for varying contracts, if required; and • the standards you expect providers to adhere to.
Payments Planned processes to make payments against the CA’s AEB policy and funding rules.
AEB Policy • Clear draft documented rules and principles that safeguard public funding. • The rules should confirm how funding is earned, learner eligibility, contracting and sub-contracting, evidence requirements, as well as payment and performance management arrangements for AEB funding. • The rules should also confirm the commissioning strategy. • How and when funding rules, provider funding agreements or contracts and their allocations will be published.
Data collection and reporting Is there a signed data sharing agreement in place with the department (ESFA) ? Does the CA have additional requirements for data held/not held by the department, to support its operational processes ? If yes, has this requirement been considered alongside those affected, e.g. providers ?
Provider management Are there arrangements to assess provider performance including: financial health, intervention and minimum standards policies (separate to DfE/ESFA arrangements) ?
The Strategic Skills Plan for North of Tyne: OutlineJanice Rose, North of Tyne Combined Authority
Strategic Skills Plan for North of Tyne January 2019
Background • The Strategic Skills Plan forms part of an MCA demonstrating its readiness, particularly in being able to show that adequate preparation has been undertaken to reflect MCA intentions with regard to its commissioning decisions, including the requirement to engage with local stakeholders in doing so. • It is specific to Adult Education Budget and does not attempt to cross over into wider skills planning activity being progressed within each MCA
Purpose • The SSP will set out how the AEB will be used in furtherance of MCA objectives, whilst also considering the impact of decision-making on learners, employers and learning providers. • It should clearly link to work on Strategic Economic Plans / Local Industrial Strategies. • The SSP should also set out how it contributes towards delivery of national policies and programmes.
Approach • DfE committed to minimising the burden on MCAs, in recognition that MCAs will in any case be developing their own wider skills plans and that these will be at varying stages and in various formats. • On this basis, MCAs can submit the AEB-specific plan in a format that fits best with their own internal arrangements, be it an addendum to an existing plan, a stand-alone document, a letter, etc. • We are keen to work closely with MCAs in future to ensure there is a sensible alignment across post-16 plans and working relationships
Content (1) The DfE expect the SSP to cover the following: • assessment of current MCA area, considering the mix & balance of AEB-funded provision; • MCA skills priorities, focusing on analysis of the current fit with above assessment; • evidence-base supporting the SSP, including reasons for any proposed changes over current mix and balance of provision, employer demand gathered and how representative that is of the MCA employer-base;
Content (2) • how learner demand will be considered; • a description of local MCA engagement with, and responses from, impacted learning providers, as well as future plans in this respect; • the assessed impact on post-16 providers of any proposed changes to AEB allocations and any plans to ease the transition for those adversely affected; • specifically, what current AEB-funded provision will cease and at which providers, how/if it’ll be replaced and when;
Content (3) • confirmation of continuing statutory / policy entitlements under current AEB funding arrangements; • how SSP outcomes ‘success’ is defined and measured; • the timeline for MCA review and evaluation of its AEB SSP as well as reporting / publication arrangements; and • how MCA skills priorities complement / support delivery of national programmes / strategies, for example including Apprenticeships & Traineeships and other non-devolved post-16 further education;
Content (4) • planned outcomes from AEB-investment for three years, 2019/20, 20/21 & 21/22, assuming steady-state funding, but being aware that this cannot currently be confirmed; • how those outcomes differ to outcomes from current AEB-funded provision in the area, insofar as a comparison is possible from available data; • the expected impact these changes will have on the local economy and when;
Content (5) • handling arrangements for any provider concerns, including conflict resolution; • whether and how ‘equality’ issues have been addressed as part of this process; and • MCA contacts for further information.
North of Tyne approach • Due to the delay in establishing the NTCA, we’re behind the timetable followed by the other MCAs last year • But will catch up as our mobilisation accelerates over next two to three months • And have the benefit of building on the experience of the other MCAs • Aim as part of this is to expand and deepen the engagement of providers EVOLUTION RATHER THAN REVOLUTION!
