The six regional mayors tasked with overseeing devolution of the adult education budget have met the Department for Education to “voice concerns” over the process. High among the issues that are worrying the combined authorities are “inadequate” influence and a lack of funding during the transition year, as well as “challenging” timescales for the handing over of power. Although none of the combined authorities are any closer to Sussex than London and Cambridge, these early stages of the devolution process give a useful indication as to what level of local influence on the Adult Education Budget the devolution process may or may not have. The Industrial Strategy indicated that for those areas outside of the Mayoral Combined Authorities, LEPs might well take the lead on devolution. Click here for more.
