Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director for Growth, Planning and Housing

6.1     Greg Ward, Director of Economy and Infrastructure, introduced a report that provided an overview of the Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES). It also set out the findings of an internal review of the service and as well as details of a National Area Review of post-16 education and skills that is currently underway.

6.2     The committee was asked for a view on:

·             The Westminster Adult Education Services’ local contribution and offer to residents and employers.

·             The recommendation, following an internal review, of strengthening responsibility for an Adult Education Service. This is to support Council priorities and the “City for All” ambition of reducing long term unemployment. 

·             Local issues to feed into the National Area Review, which commences in Central London region this month.

6.3     To assist it in its consideration of the issues the committee heard from Tamara Williams, a current service user, and Barbara Holm, Service Head and Principal of WAES.

6.4     The Committee explored WAES’s local contribution and offer to residents and employers.  Miss Williams addressed the committee on what influenced her to become a user of the adult education service and her experiences of it.  She stated that she began using the service at 17 taking a Business and Administration Level 2 programme while on an apprenticeship at the London School of Economics (LSE).  She chose to use the service to develop her skills due to the positive feedback from family members that had previously used it. Up to this period she had been home-schooled so the service presented a significant change in learning for her.  She stated that using WAES provided her with the confidence to develop her skills as the centre felt welcoming, like a family.  She felt comfortable in the learning environment and was able to speak to her tutor about any issues.  The support enabled her to improve her maths which encouraged her to apply to undertake a Level 3 programme. Mrs Holm informed the committee that Miss Williams had progressed from an apprenticeship to being employed by the LSE.

6.5     Miss Williams was asked whether she accessed the service to help build her confidence or to learn a skill.  She stated that both were an objective.  As her skills improved she was able to try other courses and develop other interests.  Miss Holm explained that some women will initially access the service to help their children with their learning at school but will later return to embark on a vocational programme.

6.6     Officers were asked about the variance of non-Westminster to Westminster learners.  The Committee noted that approximately 60% of learners using the service were non-Westminster residents.  Mrs Holm explained that the service was funded by the Skills Funding Agency on the basis of strict criteria about the use of the funds and the way in which providers such as WAES operates.  It means that the service cannot turn away non-Westminster residents.  However, WAES does wish to work more closely with the Council and embed links to better support the “City for All” programme and in particular the Council’s ambition to reduce long-term unemployment. Through closer collaboration more Westminster residents can be referred to the service to develop skills for the London labour market.

6.7     The Committee also enquired about the breakdown of service user by course type. It noticed that there had been a reduction in the number of learners accessing vocational courses in the previous year and enquired about the cause of this.  Mrs Holm explained that there were a number of reasons for this.  One explanation was that the syllabus for vocational courses had been developed and now involved more substantial hours with English and maths being much more embedded.  As a consequence of courses being much larger and longer in length WAES was not unable to offer as many places.  There had also been a significant reduction for adult learning nationally and to the service, and the reduction in learner numbers reflects that.  Jewellery making had been dropped from the curriculum in response to a reduced interest that reflected market trends.

6.8     The Committee then explored the strategic review findings and proposed way forward. This included an objective of strengthening responsibility for an Adult Education Service to support Council priorities and the “City for All” ambition of reducing long term unemployment. 

6.9     Officers were asked whether the target to reduce by a third, within 3 years, the 10,000 residents who are long-term unemployed as realistic given the significant challenges people in this group face.  Members also asked how the number of long-term unemployed residents in Westminster compared to other London boroughs and England as a whole.  Tom Harding, Manager of Employment and Skills, referred the committee to Annex 1 of the report which set out the challenges of this group.  He explained that only 1 in 10 residents on an Employment Support Allowance go into long-term employment through the Government’s Work Programme.  Westminster has a higher percentage of long-term unemployed residents than the London average.  They are also older than the London and English average.  Few are under 35 years.  The challenges were compounded by the fact that there is greater competition for jobs in Westminster than in other parts of London.  He stated that the Council can improve outcomes and reduce overall costs to the state by developing sustainable models to support the borough’s most vulnerable residents in tackling complex, deep-seated barriers to employment.  This will require working in much closer alignment with partners including WAES.  He stated that the targets were ambitious and challenging.  Members suggested that the Council should seek to influence partners such as Work Programme providers to develop skills.

6.10   The committee asked whether the age profile of WAES learners matched the cohort that is long-term unemployed.  Miss Holm advised that much of the work that the majority of users of the service matched the age range of this group.

6.11   Officers were asked for an explanation of what closer collaboration between WAES and the Council would look like and what specific activities would be undertaken which are not presently.  The Director of Economy and Infrastructure suggested that partners could tailor programmes for long-term unemployed residents so that they are more intensive and specific to address their needs.  He considered that a qualitative approach may be more productive than simply focusing on meeting a high target number.

6.12   Members commented that some local businesses have reported that people applying for jobs often don’t have the necessary skills required for the workplace. The Committee asked Miss Holm what links WAES has with local businesses to understand the skills employers require and are not being met.  She stated that this is an area that WAES is improving upon.  It was discussing with the Council opportunities to link into existing networks as it was not an area that it had been strong in pursuing. WAES wanted to assist learners taking English and maths with links into employment.  Members asserted that there was an advantage for Westminster businesses such as offices and shops in employing local people.

6.13   The Committee then considered and asked questions about the future operating model of the service and its relationship with the City Council. It also considered issues for WAES arising from the London wide review of adult and community learning to be run in parallel with the London area review of post-16 education and training.

6.14    Mr Harding stated that WAES is more than double the size of any other local authority adult education service in London and that whilst learners from outside Westminster benefit, the scale of the Service enhances its local offer and future financial viability.

6.15   Members asked officers whether they had any concerns with the option of WAES developing a shared service model with other adult education services at a central London or Tri-Borough level.  Members questioned whether it would be harder for the Council to properly scrutinise a service that was not specifically a Westminster service.  Mr Ward considered that this could be the case given that there would also need to be input from other local authorities. 

6.16   The Committee noted that a further operating model would be for WAES to collaborate or merge with a further education college. Officers considered that while the preferred option is for WAES to remain within the local authority structure there was merit in looking at opportunities to merge back office functions and sharing tutors with other education providers to streamline resources and reduce operating costs.  Officers confirmed that the City Council would be liable for the redundancy costs of deleting posts within WAES.

6.17   RESOLVED:

1.     The Committee was pleased to hear the positive testimony that WAES is a much appreciated and valued provider of adult education. It provides a positive contribution to Westminster’s community with over 5000 Westminster learners per year.

2.     The Committee welcomed the internal review of the service considering it appropriate that the Council challenges WAES’s existing structure, offer and how it contributes to wider Council objectives.  The committee welcomed the focus of looking at how the service can better support Council priorities and the “City for All” ambition of reducing long-term unemployment.  The review is beneficial in helping to inform the future positioning of the service ahead of the London Area Review of post-16 education and training.  However, while the review and its findings provide a high level assessment of WAES’s future challenges and aims Members considered that there is insufficient detail at present to explain how the objective of assisting the long-term unemployed will be achieved.  It is recommended to the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business & Economic Development that further work in this area is carried out as part of the commitment to establish a new Westminster Employment Service.

3.     The Service’s future financial viability including any liabilities arising from potential redundancies is a possible local issue for consideration in relation to the London Area Review.  However, the committee did not consider that it had sufficient information at this time to take a view on this matter and has requested a written report on this to be submitted to a future meeting.

6.17    ACTION:

1.  Include in the next year’s work programme a report on the Council’s plans     for tackling long term unemployment and the revised draft strategy for           WAES.

       (Action for: Anne Pollock, Scrutiny Officer & Greg Ward, Director of Economy and Infrastructure).