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ITEM EX13
Supplement



EXECUTIVE – 27 MAY 2003

LEARNING & CULTURE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 20 MAY 2003

Adult Learning Plan 2003/04 - Key points arising in debate

The Scrutiny Committee:-

  1. welcomed the opportunity to comment on the Adult Learning Plan 2003/04, was supportive of the paper and noted that as the drafting process was ongoing the allocations and planned activity could change;

  2. noted that there was no inflation element for the core Adult & Community Learning (non-accredited) ex-LEA provision;

  3. drew attention to the role of ICT as a means of effecting economies in learning costs as well as meeting learners’ needs for flexibility;

  4. noted that the national indicators for spend per head on adult education were no longer collected by the Audit Commission;

  5. noted in relation to fee levels that in general the Council, in comparison with comparable local authority providers, was slightly higher for further education and average for non-accredited courses;

  6. noted that pay for lecturers was on a locally negotiated scale;

  7. noted that there was scope for increasing the number of accredited courses i.e. via the Oxfordshire Open College Network, but recognised that there was a balance to be struck between accredited and non-accredited courses;

  8. noted the increasing role of the voluntary sector as a potential partner or provider in adult and community learning;

  9. noted that working towards a reduction in the number of local community education committees did not in itself affect the number of learning centres or venues for learning.

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