MPs have said an agency’s “reckless behaviour” has left the future of a government scheme to rebuild England’s colleges hanging in the balance.
Criticism was levelled at The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for its “serious failures” in managing the programme and for raising expectations it could not meet.
The LSC had to freeze building projects affecting 144 colleges in December after running out of cash. The agency had approved building projects for 79 colleges which needed almost £2.7 billion more funding than the council could afford, said a report by the Commons’ public accounts committee.
It added: “The LSC has over-stimulated the demand for funding and mismanaging the approval process. The Council was reckless in allowing colleges’ expectations of financial support to build to levels far in excess of what the Council could afford.”
The Government has made an extra £300 million available, and the green light has been given for building work at 13 colleges. But it added the department must meet its commitment that colleges will not be allowed to get into a situation where they cannot meet their financial obligations as a result of decisions taken by the council.
