Issue - meetings

(a) That the Committee note the Adult Community Learning funding within Flintshire and acknowledge the increased funding allocation through the Community Learning Grant (CLG) by Welsh Government;

(b) That the Committee note the development work with Wrexham Adult Learning Partnership and give approval for Flintshire to proceed with forming a joint Flintshire and Wrexham Adult Community Learning Partnership.

            The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) introduced a report to provide the Committee with an overview of how Adult Community Learning (ACL) funding was changing in Flintshire.  The report also sought approval to proceed with the formation of a joint Flintshire and Wrexham Adult Community Learning Partnership, which would provide oversight and management of (ACL) across both Council areas.

            Flintshire County Council had responsibility for providing oversight of ACL in Flintshire for administering the Community Learning Grant (CLG) and for ensuring that partners effectively collaborate to deliver high quality provision for learners.  The new guidance for the delivery of ACL provision for 2020/21 onwards required a Delivery Plan which outlined all planned CLG funded delivery from 1 September 2020.  WG had worked with Councils during the transition period, taking into account the introduction of the new funding model and also the considerable challenges presented by the emergency situation.

            The Chief Officer reported that Flintshire and Wrexham Councils had operated separate partnerships due to the significant difference to its funding allocations from the WG CLG.  The changes to funding would provide the opportunity to combine both partnerships, which were in the main, made up of the same delivery partners.  The proposals was to form a joint partnership from 1 April 2021 which would provide oversight of quality, curriculum, safeguarding, self-evaluation and outcomes for learners.  WG were supportive of the proposal to combine both partnerships and this would enable more effective strategic and operational decision making whilst also maximising the funding for each area.       

            Mr. David Hytch asked for information on what the criteria was to access ACL and also whether this was tied to the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Act and the requirement to assist people up to the age of 25.  The Chief Officer advised that the ACL was not specifically tied to the ALN Act and that grant funding had been in place for some time but Flintshire in the past had not been a positive beneficiary.  There would be the opportunity to look at resources to support a significant number of learners and the co-location of the Pupil Referral Unit was especially beneficial for many of the learners with the enhancement of the provision available.  It would accommodate those learners with additional learning needs and also provide a link to the Deeside Community Trust to support adults with their English and Digital Literacy skills.  WG had provided a specific remit for the use of the funding but the impact on the community would be significant.  It was agreed that information on what the criteria was to access Adult Community Learning would be provided to the Committee following the meeting.

            The Chair spoke of previous wide ranging courses available within the community which had been popular with older people, and once the funding had changed there seemed to be a focus on basic skills which had narrowed the opportunities.  Whilst he welcomed the additional funding and the partnership with Wrexham Council but felt that from a community perspective courses should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25