Decision

1. 1

The Head of Lifelong Learning and Skills was in attendance to present a paper which sought approval for Sheffield City Council to accept, and act as the accountable body for, the 2026/27 Adult Skills Fund (ASF) grant of £2.27m from SYMCA. The report set out how the Lifelong Learning and Skills Service, through FACES, would manage and administer the funding to deliver adult education and skills provision across the city, including commissioning around £650k of activity through external providers using an established procurement framework.

1. 2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Economic Development, Skills and Culture Policy Committee:

a)    The Economic Development, Skills and Culture Policy Committee approve and accept the Adult Skills Fund allocation from SYMCA and allow the Council to become the accountable body for the grant

b)    The Economic Development, Skills and Culture Policy Committee note the commissioning and procurement of 19+ adult learning and skills activities in community setting across Sheffield, from external providers for a period of one year from 1st August 2026 to 31st July 2027 with an estimated value of £650,000 under the 4-year procurement framework agreement made by this Committee in January 2023.

1. 3

Reasons for Decision

1. 3.1

The recommended outcome is for the Economic Development, Skills and Culture Policy Committee to make a formal decision to allow the Council to become the accountable body for the Adult Skills Fund grant allocation of £2.27m for the 2026/27 academic year.

1. 3.2

This decision will also enable FACES to move to procurement of £650k of subcontracted provision so that the service can deliver the necessary niche or high demand Adult Skills activities from partners and training providers to meet the regional skills priorities. We ask that the Committee note the service’s intention to do so, under the 4-year adult skills procurement framework agreed by Committee members in January 2023.

1. 3.3

The recommended outcome will also enable the service to continue to reach to some of the most disadvantaged communities and those furthest from the labour market and offer those communities learning opportunities to begin a pathway towards employment and active citizenship.

1. 4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

1. 4.1

Do Nothing – This is not an option as the Council has proposed a delivery plan with SYMCA which requires the Adult Skills grant to be agreed to enable delivery. This plan includes sub-contracting a proportion of the ASF towards its overall targets and needs to proceed with delivery to ensure the contract for 2026/27 is met.

1. 4.2

Self-Deliver only –The service does not have the capacity to deliver the necessary skills activities where demand is high or where niche activity is required, or to reach all communities in the same way that local, trusted community organisations often can do.

1. 4.3

Working with appropriately qualified and capable partners / training providers will therefore enable FACES to:

• Help widen participation amongst niche groups that would otherwise be hard to reach, but only where this enriches the strategic curriculum intent learning offer

• Address high demand in a specific curriculum that the service does not have the capacity to meet learner need through our direct delivery • Add diversity in the types of curricula we can offer to meet employment and skills priorities for the region

• Secure expertise and skills that address key policy issues such as climate change and sustainability and increase skills within learning cultures to solve local issues