The Director of Children’s Services presented a report detailing the proposed increase to Lifelong Learning fees for 2009-10 in the light of LSC funding allocation. Wirral Lifelong and Family Learning Service (WLFLS) was funded by the Learning and Skills Council Greater Merseyside (LSCGM), through the Personal and Community Development Funding (PCDL) funding stream. The LSC funding was allocated annually for local authority adult learning as a grant, contingent on fulfilling planning requirements in partnership with LSCGM and Wirral PCDL partnership. A requirement of the LSC was that the service should review income targets and the policy for charging fees for adult courses.

The Director reported that income was predicted at around £30,000 for 2008-09 and this was used to supplement courses. It was proposed to update the fee rates annually in line with other local providers of adult learning. An increase in fee income to approximately £33,000 was expected for 2009-10, which would be used by the WLFLS to help offset the actual reduction in funding.  Any additional income could extend the number of courses offered.

With the permission of the Chair, the Leader of the Conservative Group addressed the Cabinet. The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management responded that specific regulations precluded discrimination on the grounds of age. Services could be looked at which were more leisure related to see if there was scope for some differential charging for the over 60’s and the Director of Children’s Services suggested that he would bring a report to a future meeting on the charging policy.

Resolved - That the changes in Lifelong Learning fees policy be approved.