BRIEFING

NOTE

To: Skills Funding Agency

Date Issued: January 2013

SUBJECT: Further and Higher Education Provision in Shepway

1. Background

1.1 In its Corporate Plan, covering the period 2012 to 2017, Shepway District Council sets out its commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of the local economy in order to increase prosperity. This commitment has resulted in the development of a number of initiatives including a local apprentice scheme, the development of the Shepway Business Advisory Board, support for start up businesses and the development of super-fast broadband.

1.2 A key element of the growth and sustainability of a local economy is ensuring that local people have sufficient skills to meet their own aspirations and the needs of both local business and potential inward investors. It therefore follows, that alongside the local schools, the Further and Higher Education providers have a major role to play in maintaining and developing the local skills base and in improving the performance of the local economy.

1.3 More specifically the District Council’s objectives in relation to FE and HE provision in Shepway are as follows :-

• To secure the long term provision of accessible Further and Higher Education provision in Shepway with an integrated curriculum that meets the needs and aspirations of local people and local businesses and develops and improves the local skills base. • Securing recognition of the different yet complimentary roles that Further Education and schools based (6 th form) education provision can play in developing the skills and knowledge of young people. • Ensuring that any future re-development of the Shorncliffe Road campus facilitates the delivery of the objectives outlined above. • Securing the future use of the former Glassworks building, as a centre for Further and Higher Education , as an integral part of the regeneration of Folkestone Town Centre and the Creative Quarter. • Ensuring that local FE and HE providers maintain clear, on-going links with the local business community and local elected members, including through representation on appropriate governing bodies.

2. Response to the current review of /FE and HE provision

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2.1 In response to the current review of K College and FE/HE provision the Council’s position is as follows :-

• Following consideration by its Community Overview Committee in September 2009, the Council was generally supportive of the proposed merger between South Kent and , subject to a number of criteria being met (as set in response attached as Appendix 1). The Council does not consider that those criteria were met, or that the merger resulted in the process of improvement, underway at South Kent College during 2009, being maintained. The Council therefore supports the ‘de-coupling of K College in order that the options for local and/or East Kent based provision can be assessed. • In order for a long term/sustainable model of FE/HE for Shepway to be developed it will be necessary for central government to address the debt issues facing K College in order to prevent such debt being passed onto future providers or acting as deterrent to the involvement of such providers. • The Shorncliffe Road site should be transferred as a capital asset to the new provider who should consider its future use as part of an overall property strategy developed in consultation with the local planning authority. • The Council has no fixed view as to which organisation(s) should provide FE and HE in Shepway in the future, but is willing to assist any organisation in the development of a business case for submission to the SFA, as part of this review process (for example by assisting with identifying strategic links, background information, contact with the business community etc.). • The Council’s accepts that it is not always appropriate for all courses to be located in a single district or town (for example it is recognised that Marine Techology courses are best provided in ). Courses should however be provided in facilities that are easily accessible by public transport.

3. What Shepway District Council can offer

3.1 Whilst the Council is not a direct provider of education SDC has a significant role to play in terms of the following :-

• Assisting the development of links between education providers and local businesses via the Shepway Business Advisory Board and in developing links with other public sector bodies (such as Kent County Council). • In it role as local planning authority, determining the most appropriate use of the Shorncliffe Road site in accordance with local planning policy (Policy SC3 of the Shepway District Local plan and Policy SS3 of the Core Strategy Local Plan both seek the retention of community provision including education facilities). The proposed Land Allocations Local Plan also provides an opportunity to work with the landowner and the local community to develop a site specific policy. • The Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy identifies £500,000 that can be used in a flexible way to assist with the development of FE and HE in Shepway, as part of the Council’s commitment to improving the local economy. • Consideration of the potential use of its own property assets for the provision of HE/FE (for example the Tram Road Car Park). • Potential support in relation to the provision of super fast broadband and secure data storage. • Input from the local community via elected members, both Cabinet and the Community Overview Committee. 2

APPENDIX 1 – Response to 2009 LSC Consultation.

Proposed Merger of South Kent College and West Kent College

1. Comment on the objectives of the merger.

Shepway District Council is generally supportive of the proposed merger between West Kent College and South Kent College as set out in the consultation document.

The Council notes the significant improvements that have been made by South Kent College, over the past year, to improve the quality of Further Education provision in Shepway and recognises the key role played by the current Board of Governors and the Principal, Monica Box, in driving forward those improvements. The District Council therefore looks forward to working with the management of the proposed new college, if agreed, to ensure that this process of continuous improvement within Shepway is maintained.

The Council recognises the important role that the Folkestone Campus plays within the local community and supports the proposal to deliver a bespoke and learner centred brand within Folkestone. Such ‘brands’ should seek to reflect the nature of the local economy, the need to tackle deprivation within certain parts of the District and reflect the long term aspirations of the area as set out within the Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS). The proposed new college is therefore encouraged to work with both the East Kent Local Strategic Partnership and the Shepway Community Partnership to deliver the SCS.

It is also important however that a flexible approach is taken to the provision of HE/FE across the whole of Shepway. The District Council is therefore fully supportive of proposals to work in partnership with other organisations and institutions (Marsh and Folkestone Academies, University Centre Folkestone, selective and non-selective schools and East Folkestone Together) and to provide access to learning by a range of means including home working, on line training and internet access.

The District Council recognise that a significant number of Shepway based students are choosing to attend Further Education facilities outside the District, especially those based in Canterbury. A key objective of the new college should therefore be to retain students, along with their skills and abilities, within the local area through the provision of attractive facilities and high quality courses that are relevant to local need.

The District Council would wish to see the Shorncliffe Road campus retained as the new colleges principle site within Shepway. The Council notes the potential for the layout and functioning of the site to be rationalised and improved through redevelopment but would not wish see either the redevelopment or partial disposal of the site to be at the expense of the educational offer within Shepway. The Council therefore supports the proposed development of an overall Property Strategy (medium term 3-5 years) for the new college and, in its role as the local planning authority, would wish to play an active role in the development of such a strategy. The Council also notes the potential for such a strategy to consider joint projects between the College and the Council, as undertaken in other parts of the UK, as part of an overall capital funding strategy.

2. Comments on any potential impact on learners arising from the merger proposal 3

Where possible the District Council would wish to see access to a variety of courses retained at the local level, particularly for level 1 and 2 courses. It is recognised that for higher level courses (level 3 and above) that it may be necessary for students to travel outside of the District but where possible the need to travel should be minimised.

3. Comments on any curriculum issues arising from the merger.

It is important that the ‘local brand’ principle is adhered to and that courses are put in place that reflect the needs of the local community. The curriculum that is developed should therefore reflect such local needs. In addition the District Council recognises that there are certain areas of the curriculum, such a health and social care, at which South Kent College excels. It is important that the new college recognises these strengths and builds upon them.

The District Council is particularly interested in exploring the potential for the proposed college to provide training in relation to nuclear commissioning/decommissioning and notes the links already established between South Kent College and Hastings College. The government are due to publish the consultation draft of the National Policy Statement (NPS) on Nuclear Power in Autumn 2009. The District Council will endeavour to liaise with South Kent College as it formulates its response to the NPS in order to ensure that the issue of local skills provision is take into account.

4. Comments on any governance, management or resourcing issues arising from the merger.

The Council notes the proposal to put in place a governing body of between 17 and 23 people and is of the view that this should be representative geographically and reflect the make up of the local communities across the ‘5 towns’ area. It is important that the governing body includes representatives from outside of the academic sector and includes links to the local electorate via local authority representation.

5. Proposed name change to Kent Invicta College.

No comment

6. Any other relevant comments.

The District Council would welcome regular updates on the development of the merger proposals. In addition it should be noted that the quality of access from areas of Shepway to the existing South Kent College campuses varies greatly. For example access from Romney Marsh and Hythe, by bus is generally good whereas access to Romney Marsh to Ashford, by either bus is rail, is very poor. It is important that the any future strategy developed by the college seeks to address such accessibility issues.

Prepared by David Shore – Planning Policy and Economic Development Manager

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