Minutes of the North East Learning Providers’ meetingheld on Thursday 14July 2016in the Holiday Inn, Washington commencing at 10.00am

1. Present

Treasurer – Denise Wilson

Secretary – David Baker

Representatives from the following member organisations:

Access Training

Barnardos

Derwentside College

HABIT

Hays Travel

HIT Training

Learndirect

MTC – University of Sunderland

NEETA

ROVE

Springboard Sunderland

TTS

Guests

SFA – Gillian Brown

Communicators Training Associates – Isobel Currie

2. Apologies for Absence

Malcolm Armstrong (Chair); Claire Parry (Aspire Igen); Alison Hodgson (B-Skill); Sharon Stainsby (Catch-22); Simon Liversedge (HIT Training); Melissa Gardiner (KF Training); Derek Freeman (Milltech); Andrew Robson (NECC); Susan Briganti (NEETA); Eileen Bayles (NHS); Mike Johnson (NYA); Andy Watmough (TCV); Cheryl Swales (AELP); Peter Graham (New Skills); Gill Reay (Ofsted); Lesley Monaghan (SFA);.

3. Chair’s Welcome

The Secretary(David Baker) welcomed all to thismeeting of North East Learning Providerswitha particular welcome to new members, MTC and potential members, Communicators Training. David explained that the Chair (Malcolm Armstrong) could not join us today.

The meeting for EFA providers with Stuart Linden (EFA) will be held after this meeting.

4. Minutes of the last meetingheld on 7Apriland Matters arising

The meeting accepted the minutes of the meeting held on 7April.

5.SFA Update – Gillian Brown

Gillian provided an update:

  • Levy
  • Roll out event planned
  • NO information on SME contribution
  • New rules (draft in September)
  • BIS info due this week
  • Apprenticeship standards
  • Lack of detail – less vague standards needed
  • Realised that Providers need to be involved
  • Roll out – speeding up, by mid-May
  • 386 submitted
  • 228 approved
  • 100 ready for delivery (20 in last 2 months)
  • 158 in development
  • SFA/NAS structure
  • All in post by 1 July
  • Paul Johnson (grade 6)
  • Maggie Hoyland (manager)
  • Team
  • Tracey Sibbald
  • Helen Williamson
  • Andrea
  • Business Operations / Central Delivery
  • Contracting team (ASFS)
  • Provider Management team
  • Service Desk
  • Intervention team – no change
  • NAS Employer relationship team – now national (1 member of staff in NE)
  • Contracts
  • Employer networks
  • Area Review
  • NELEP start 14 September
  • Colleges undertaking preparatory work
  • TV mergers
  • Darlington & Stockton
  • Hartlepool & Hartlepool 6th form Colleges
  • Redcar & Middlesbrough
  • Cleveland College of Art – stand alone
  • Recruiting Apprentices
  • Replacement for AV
  • Close to becoming live – August
  • Stopping Recruitment Agencies having access
  • Sub-contractors to have access
  • Advanced Learner Loans – no subcontracting from 2017-18
  • Sainsbury report published

6. AELP Update – Cheryl Knaggs

Cheryl was unavailable but supplied a report (see attached).

Executive Officer asked to raise the issue of discounts for network members at local events.

7. NELEP Education & Skills Board – Denise Wilson

Denise represents NELP on this Board:

  • Focused on Devolution and the AEB (Combined Authority)
  • Area review – want independent Chair not FE Commissioner.

8. Apprentice Growth Partnership (AGP) – Geoff Mount

Geoff represents NELP on this Board:

  • Constant change in personnel – Denis Heaney to be AGP lead.

9. Ofsted – Hints & tips

  • Springboard Sunderland (Denise Wilson) – 3/4 months ago
  • Any under-16 learners will generate a full (school type) inspection
  • Issues
  • SAR not ready – no overall up-to-date SAR available
  • Raw data only required – no analysis or adjusted stuff from Provider
  • Staff not confident in challenging learners over Prevent.

10.Network business

  • Apprenticeship leaflet – prospectus for County Durham circulated and rationale explained
  • ESIF – Perter Graham (New Skills Consultancy) was unavailable but supplied a report.
  • This is just to let you know that I’m afraid I’m no longer able to attend the NELP meeting on Thursday 14th July. Another urgent meeting has come up that I’ll need to attend, and other colleagues that I’d normally send in my place are on holiday. I think we’ve been overtaken by events anyway, with the recent publication of the two ESF ITTs.

If I had been able to attend, it would only have been to advise NELP members that, in my opinion, they should not bid as a consortium for the current ESF opportunities. Instead, they should put themselves forward individually as sub-contractors to potential prime contractors, including the colleges. I’ve been in contact with one of your members this week who is already in the process of signing up as a sub-contractor.

  • Higher / Degree Apprenticeship Collaboration Group
  • Remit for sub-Group explained
  • Members invited to complete an EOI and will then be invited to next meeting (see attached)
  • VEO Offer – explained, ROVE interested in joining early adopters group
  • CPD
  • New prospectus to year-end circulated (see attached).

11. Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will the AGM and will be held on Thursday 22September 2016 in the Beamish Suite, Holiday Inn, Washington, NE37 1LB (Tel: 0871 942 9084).

Keynote speaker – Mark Dawes CEO of AELP.

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