The Director of Children’s Services reported upon the role of the Local Authority as Lead Accountable Body for Informal Adult Learning. In Spring 2010 local authorities were invited to become Lead Accountable Bodies and Wirral had provisionally accepted the role. From 2011-12 funding for Informal Adult Learning would go through the LABs. Throughout 2010-11 the LAB would work with other partners in an area, including those currently receiving this funding, to develop a plan. Wirral Lifelong and Family Learning Service Steering Group would be best placed to take on the strategic role of the Lead Accountable Body.

To support the development of a coherent plan for IAL there needed to be partnership working and the Wirral Lifelong and Family Learning Service already worked closely with a diverse range of local partners, including the Personal and Community Development Learning (PCDL) Partnership, which had a wide range of members.

The Lifelong Learning Service was funded by grant from the Skills Funding Agency of approximately £876,000 a year.

Resolved – That,

(1) Wirral Council acts as the lead Accountable Body and commissioning body for Informal Adult Learning (IAL) in Wirral;

(2) the PCDL Partnership supports the planning of Informal Adult Learning in Wirral;

(3) a plan for Informal Adult Learning is drawn up linked into wider planning and local priorities;

(4) the final plan is presented back to Cabinet.