Officials vow to ‘help as many learners as possible’ as authority is set to receive £18.2 million in government funding
Officials have vowed to use the £18.2 million Government funding to to help boost the skills of thousands of people with no qualifications.
Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority’s (GLCCA) is expected to receive £18,281,164 to improve adult skills – if the area’s Devolution deal is passed by Parliament next month.
Members of the authority’s employment and skills board were told that there are 50,000 working-aged people in Greater Lincolnshire with ‘no qualifications at all’ and 95,000 people who have literacy skills equivalent to those of a nine to 11 year-old.
Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Coun Rob Waltham (Conservative – Brigg and Wolds) told Wednesday’s meeting (April 22) that the authority was looking at ways to improve the educational outcomes of young people.
Coun Waltham, who was chairing the meeting, said: “Our ambition is to help as many learners as we possibly can to achieve the highest possible qualification and deliver better outcomes for them.”
The funding will initially be provided to education institutions or training companies across Greater Lincolnshire but smaller providers could be getting a share of the remaining money.
Leader of South Kesteven District Council, Ashley Baxter (Independent – Market and West Deeping) asked if some of the funding will go to educational providers on the Lincolnshire border.
He added: “There are colleges that are on the border that encourage students to come to Lincolnshire to study in our colleges.”
Clare Hughes, interim strategic lead for employment and skills, replied: “The process of devolving money from the Government to local areas isn’t straightforward.
“So the question you ask is completely apt – and colleges who are on the border, particularly Stamford College – they will receive money from the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority as Greater Lincolnshire learners.
“They (providers) will also receive money if they have an office in Peterborough or Cambridgeshire – so they receive money from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
“We are expecting at the end of this month that for any other learners – who are not part of a devolved area – that particular organisation will receive funds for what are being called non-devolved learners.
“It is quite a patchwork at the moment as the Government rolls out devolution.
“So your question is quite correct, but the money that is devolved to Lincolnshire is very specifically for Greater Lincolnshire learners.”