LSC staff prepare for local authority transfer

Around 1,000 LSC workers will be moved to local authorities as councils take on responsibility for securing education and training provision for 16- to 19-year-olds.

Another 500 will join the new Young People's Learning Agency to support local authorities in planning and commissioning education provision, while the remainder of the LSC's 3,200 staff will join the Skills Funding Agency or the National Apprenticeship Service.

A series of meetings were held last week for LSC staff across the country. The process of deciding which agency staff will join will be completed by June and formal transfer will take place on 1 April next year.

The LSC staff who spend most of their time working directly with schools and colleges will be most likely to transfer to local authorities. Between four and 15 staff will join each council.

John Freeman, director of the React Project at the Local Government Association, which will support councils in the transfer of responsibilities, said: "The process of staff transfer is the next key step in developing local authority capacity to commission 16 to 19 education from next April. The next phase, which involves these staff working closely with local authorities on a 'shadow' basis, will start in September, and will help ensure a smooth transition in April 2010. The feedback we have had from councils to date is very encouraging; while we still have challenges, there is a real enthusiasm for making the transfer work well from day one."