Agenda item

RESOLVED

1. To approve the award of contracts to the 22 Suppliers listed in Exempt Appendix 1 for the supply of Adult and Community Learning provision under a two year (+1+1) framework agreement from 2022-2026. The estimated value of this is £500,000 in year one and following years.

2. To note that call-off from the framework agreement will be made on an annual basis with the allocation based on service, performance, location and available budget, and delegate award of these call-off contracts to the Strategic Director Inclusive Economy, Regeneration and New Homes.

REASONS FOR DECISION

The objective is to establish a Framework Agreement for assured community providers to deliver or host a range of Adult & Community Learning accredited and non-accredited courses for a 4 year period commencing September 2022 to July 2026. This includes Family Learning, ESOL, Maths, English, ICT and vocational courses. The newly contracted providers will be utilised to continue with the Council’s commitment to deliver services to communities that are currently under represented.

The Adult Learning Service has an annual target of 2,000 learning places to be provided across an OFSTED inspected curriculum structured programme and the service is grant funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA) as part of the national government strategy for adult learning provision. This also links into Hackney Council strategies such as the Single Equalities Framework priorities 1 to 3, namely :supporting residents’ access to sustainable employment, improving their qualifications and wellbeing. Adult education also reduces economic inequalities which is identified as a key barrier to community cohesion in Hackney Sustainable Community Strategy (2008-2018). Having a wide range of programmes generally enables the Adult Learning Services to promote the vision of Hackney a Place for Everyone Campaign. For example, ESOL empowers people from different backgrounds to integrate in society, Family Learning programmes promote parental engagement in learning and employability programmes contribute to breaking the cycle of isolation and create links into local employment especially for residents who are semi-skilled or on low income. The Adult Learning Service has a strong track record of contributing to these strategies including the Mayor of Hackney priorities and his manifesto commitment of delivering access to quality training

Following AEB devolution in 2019/20, the Skills for Londoners’ Strategy was launched to increase the number and diversity of adult learners in London gaining the skills to participate in society and progress into further/higher level learning, training and employment. As such, many of the proposed changes in this Framework will be better delivered by engagement with contracted providers.

The report is being placed before CPIC because the anticipated annual value of the subcontracted ALS provision, across the range of approved providers on the framework, is in the region of £500,000 per annum. There is a potential spend of £2,000,000 over a four year period.

The establishment of a framework of approved providers will ensure that the range of learning programmes for the target learners prescribed by the GLA can be delivered.

9.1  The Commissioning and Performance Manager introduced the report seeking authority to award a framework agreement of approved adult learning training providers.  The Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources added that this was a significant piece of work and that the changes being made to the service would deliver excellent outcomes for Hackney’s residents. 

9.2  The Committee noted that there were good local providers on the list and that the mixed economy model using both commission providers and in-house direct teaching service supported a significant number of local community based providers with specific knowledge of the market and communities which resulted in better performance in delivery of the contract.  This mixed model was expected to deliver well in terms of performance and meeting Ofsted expectations as the service moved towards more insourcing.  In line with the Council’s inclusive economy strategy, the asset based approach enabled adult learning to be delivered from council owned assets such as libraries and community halls and reach local communities and learners within Hackney. The Council would be developing the model further to deliver more partnership adult learning courses from local Council owned assets and its employment hubs.

RESOLVED

1. To approve the award of contracts to the 22 Suppliers listed in Exempt Appendix 1 for the supply of Adult and Community Learning provision under a two year (+1+1) framework agreement from 2022-2026. The estimated value of this is £500,000 in year one and following years.

2. To note that call-off from the framework agreement will be made on an annual basis with the allocation based on service, performance, location and available budget, and delegate award of these call-off contracts to the Strategic Director Inclusive Economy, Regeneration and New Homes.

REASONS FOR DECISION

The objective is to establish a Framework Agreement for assured community providers to deliver or host a range of Adult & Community Learning accredited and non-accredited courses for a 4 year period commencing September 2022 to July 2026. This includes Family Learning, ESOL, Maths, English, ICT and vocational courses. The newly contracted providers will be utilised to continue with the Council’s commitment to deliver services to communities that are currently under represented.

The Adult Learning Service has an annual target of 2,000 learning places to be provided across an OFSTED inspected curriculum structured programme and the service is grant funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA) as part of the national government strategy for adult learning provision. This also links into Hackney Council strategies such as the Single Equalities Framework priorities 1 to 3, namely :supporting residents’ access to sustainable employment, improving their qualifications and wellbeing. Adult education also reduces economic inequalities which is identified as a key barrier to community cohesion in Hackney Sustainable Community Strategy (2008-2018). Having a wide range of programmes generally enables the Adult Learning Services to promote the vision of Hackney a Place for Everyone Campaign. For example, ESOL empowers people from different backgrounds to integrate in society, Family Learning programmes promote parental engagement in learning and employability programmes contribute to breaking the cycle of isolation and create links into local employment especially for residents who are semi-skilled or on low income. The Adult Learning Service has a strong track record of contributing to these strategies including the Mayor of Hackney priorities and his manifesto commitment of delivering access to quality training

Following AEB devolution in 2019/20, the Skills for Londoners’ Strategy was launched to increase the number and diversity of adult learners in London gaining the skills to participate in society and progress into further/higher level learning, training and employment. As such, many of the proposed changes in this Framework will be better delivered by engagement with contracted providers.

The report is being placed before CPIC because the anticipated annual value of the subcontracted ALS provision, across the range of approved providers on the framework, is in the region of £500,000 per annum. There is a potential spend of £2,000,000 over a four year period.

The establishment of a framework of approved providers will ensure that the range of learning programmes for the target learners prescribed by the GLA can be delivered.