Welsh Government oversight of further education colleges 'finances and delivery'

The Auditor General for Wales’ report (PDF 2MB) finds that while the Welsh Government’s arrangements for funding allocation and oversight of the sector’s finance and performance are generally sound, they would benefit from a more integrated and long-term approach. It highlights some key challenges facing the further education sector as a result of changes in demand for its services, continued financial constraint and wider post-16 education policy. In response, the report makes a number of recommendations, including:

• that the Welsh Government requires colleges to prepare medium-term financial plans, including longer-term financial forecasts;
• that the Welsh Government develop a mechanism that links funding more closely to likely demand for further education in each area; and
• that the Welsh Government evaluate the impact of funding reductions on learners to inform future decision making around both policy and funding.

The Public Accounts Committee considered the findings in the Report, which was published in February 2017.