Ministers work on post-16 funding revamp

The post-16 sector faces its most "fundamental and radical shake-up" as the government conducts a review of lifelong learning, its leaders were briefed this week, writes Phil Baty.

Local government chief executives have been told that ministers are working on a white paper and a legislative programme for 2001, with "radical proposals to rearrange funding routes for all post-16 provision", including colleges, training and school sixth-forms.

Plans include the abolition of the Further Education Funding Council and the Training and Enterprise Councils, the removal of local authority control of school sixth-form funding and the establishment of common funding and inspection arrangements across the sector.

In a circular to chief executives, Local Government Association chairman Brian Briscoe said ministers could be considering a single national post-16 funding agency, excluding universities, with regional delivery.

And at a special Association of Colleges conference the sector was told to lobby for a radical agenda. The AoC wants to see a single funding body for work-based training, college and school sixth-form provision.

Secretary of state for education David Blunkett said that he would publish his proposals in the summer.