Understanding how London can best capitalise on the opportunities presented by devolved AEB funding

Collab Group’s latest paper on the Devolution of the AEB

Collab Group London Colleges has published its latest paper on the devolution of the Adult Education Budget to the Greater London Authority, based on interviews with principals from the Collab Group London Partnership.

From the academic year 2019-2020, the Adult Education Budget (AEB) in London will be devolved to the Mayor of London. For the first time, the responsibility for the delivery of adult education provision will be transferred from the Department of Education (DoE) to the Greater London Authority (GLA).

The purpose of this paper is to put forward a collective position from our leading London colleges regarding the areas for focus and prioritisation.

In this paper we discuss a variety of matters that have risen from the Skills for Londoners Framework, like priority groups, changes in the delivery system, contract arrangements and local and regional approaches.

We support the work that the GLA has done to date, but further refinement is needed in key areas. We hope that this paper will resonate with government officials in City Hall, as we have raised some important points on how the budget should be spent.

Ian Pretty, CEO of Collab Group, said:

“The devolution of the AEB needs to be used to create change in the way funds get used, tailoring further education to the demands of Londoners and needs of employers. Too many individuals are prevented from accessing education and training opportunities and London’s leading FE colleges are in a unique position to use their expertise and knowledge to deliver impactful solutions to the hardest to reach Londoners.”

Note: Collab Group London Colleges is an innovative regional partnership within the Collab Group network which represents ten of the largest further education colleges in the capital, representing over 155,000 students.