Renewing the physical infrastructure of English further education colleges ; department for innovation, universities and skills learning and kills council ; report by the Comptroller and Auditor General
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Bibliographic Information
Renewing the physical infrastructure of English further education colleges ; department for innovation, universities and skills learning and kills council ; report by the Comptroller and Auditor General
Stationery Office, [2008]
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Note
At head of title: National Audit Office
"HC 924 Session 2007-2008, 11 July 2008"
"Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 8 July 2008"
Description and Table of Contents
Description
The further education capital programme is enabling colleges in England to make good progress in renewing and rationalising their estate, replacing poor quality buildings with high quality, more suitable facilities. The programme has taken advantage of colleges' accumulated reserves, access to loan funding, and scope to dispose of surplus assets. In addition, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) approved grants of GBP 1.7 billion towards the GBP 4.2 billion costs of the renewal programme.Around half of the planned work was completed or underway by the beginning of 2008. The progress of the programme has varied between regions: ranging from only 32 per cent of the estate in Greater London renewed by 2007; compared with 63 per cent in the South West. The variations are due in part to project proposals being developed by the colleges themselves and differences in the complexity and condition of the regional college estates at the start of the LSC's programme.Most new buildings are of a high standard, meeting the needs of colleges and learners, and they have been completed on or close to their budget.
The earlier projects did not perform well when judged against environmental sustainability criteria but since 2007 the LSC has required higher environmental standards in new college buildings.As a result of borrowing to fund the programme, the sector's indebtedness increased to GBP 731 million by 2007 and its interest payable was equivalent to around 1 per cent of its income. Between 2005-06 and 2006 07, the number of colleges that were assessed as being financially weak increased by 21 (from 68 to 89). Whilst this programme is affordable for the sector as a whole, colleges with large debts could be more vulnerable to loss of income if they fail to generate the projected demand for courses.
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