Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Announce New Structure to Meet New Skills Challen

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The Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which is the body responsible for the distribution of the multi ““ billion pound budget for the FE sector, has often come under fire for being excessively bureaucratic.

In their response to the White Paper on Further Education earlier this week, several of the bodies responsible for different parts of the FE sector still had veiled criticisms of the bureaucratic systems in place and the burden that this places upon frontline education providers. In a bid to meet this problem, the LSC have now announced their new national and regional structure, which has seen them cutting approximately a quarter of the jobs in the LSC.

LSC “Agenda for Change”

Speaking at the announcement in September 2005 of the agenda for change, the restructuring programme for the LSC, the Chief Executive Mark Haysom said: “We needed to transform ourselves into a smaller, more dynamic customer facing organisation better able to make decisions locally and regionally with better support at a national level.”

Mr. Haysom went on to express his pride in the work of the LSC thus far, saying: “Much has been achieved by the LSC with a record number of young people in learning and a record number of Apprentices. But, our restructure will allow us to achieve better quality and more consistent delivery across the board and it will take the LSC to a new, more strategic level which will benefit those we serve up and down the land.”

Restructuring

The new structure as announced yesterday will see the LSC made up of a Chief Executive, 5 National Directors, 10 Regional Directors (with two specifically for London), 45 Area Directors, 27 Regional Directors (in areas of Finance and Resources, Skills and Learning, Planning and Performance) and 11 Directors in the National Office. The National Office is to be reduced to approximately half its current size.

The issue of greater equality and a more representative workforce in FE has been a bone of contention for some time now. The LSC were at pains to stress that, of the 57 new appointments, some 27 were women. Many of the new appointments (35 to be precise) are filled by internal promotions following the recent assessment procedure. 25 further positions will be advertised internally prior to public advertising, from the 3rd of April.

The LSC claim that this project of restructuring will result in a saving of £40 million in management and running costs, to be redirected to learners. The overall reorganisation will see staffing levels reduce from 4,700 to 3,384. Mr. Haysom concluded: “There are a number of people who will be leaving the organisation and I thank them for their commitment to the LSC and wish them well in the future.”

Jethro Marsh

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