Agenda item

Report of the Director for Regeneration and Economy

Note: In accordance with the Constitution, Councillor G Lloyd, Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, has been invited to attend the meeting for this item of business to agree the need for urgency such that call-in arrangements will not apply. The reason for urgency is that due to the Department for Education (DfE) requiring signature to accept the monies on their portal by 1 October 2025, there will not be sufficient time allowed for the Call-In period. Failing to accept and sign on 1 October 2025 will result in DfE not releasing the additional monies awarded to Adult Education.

Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Regeneration and Economy that sought approval for the acceptance of additional £243,953 grant allocation from the Department for Education (DfE) to increase the total educational grant to £1.027M.

The Adult Education Service (AES) typically received an annual grant from the DfE to deliver educational study programmes. This funding specifically supported 16–19-year-old learners. These learning programmes were designed for an individual learner, aimed at supporting their development and progression in line with their aspirations for sustainable paid work, further or higher education or an apprenticeship. This included learners aged 19–24 with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP).

In July 2025, the AES received written notification from the DfE regarding the Education and Skills Condition of Funding Grant. The DfE intended to award Coventry City Council an additional £243,953 for 16–19-year-old study programmes for the period 1 August 2025 – 31 July 2026.

The DfE also provided grants for Adult Skills provision, Tailored Learning, and Free Courses for Jobs, aligned to strategic priorities through an agreed curriculum plan. This supplementary funding was in addition to the existing 2025/26 academic year grant allocation of £784k, resulting in a total aggregated grant exceeding £1 million for the year.

The DfE had since written an urgent request to Coventry’s Adult Education Service to accept and sign for the additional monies by no later than 1st October 2025. 

The additional investment would focus on a flexible approach that built capacity to deliver a broad range of 16 to 19 programmes and learning outcomes i.e. essential skills, study programmes, supported internships, and health and well-being, and supporting progression into further learning, apprenticeships and/or work. It would also provide the opportunity to align with other investment e.g. UKSPF, Connect to Work, and Youth Trailblazer, and wider programmes such as Work Well and the development of the Get Britain Working Local Plan.

The report outlined the background and context of the DfE funding focus within Adult Education and sought Cabinet’s approval to accept the additional monies, together with delegated authority to enter into future funding agreements with the DfE where necessary and available.

In accordance with the Constitution, Councillor G Lloyd, Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, had been invited to attend the meeting for this item of business to agree the need for urgency such that call-in arrangements would not apply. The reason for urgency and there not being sufficient time to allow for the Call-in period, being the need to meet the DfE requirement for signature to accept the monies on their portal by 1st October 2025. Failure to meet this deadline would result in the DfE not releasing the additional monies awarded to Adult Education.

Councillor G Lloyd agreed the need for urgency and therefore the decision in relation to this matter was not subject to call-in.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

1)  Approves acceptance and expenditure of the additional grant to Adult Education Service for Education and Skills in the sum of £243,953 for 2025/26.

2)  Grants delegated authority to the Director for Regeneration and Economy, following consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources, the Director of Law and Governance and the relevant Cabinet Member(s), to: 

i)  Accept any additional funding up to the value of £1,500,000 to Adult Education Service for Education and Skills in the event of further grant funding being secured.

ii)  Expend any additional funding secured up to the value of £1,500,000 to Adult Education Service for Education and Skills in the event of further grant funding being secured.

iii)  Undertake all necessary due diligence in relation to any of the additional funding made available, including the authority to enter into future funding agreements with the DfE, and entry into back-to-back contracts with partners as deemed necessary.