Letter from Zack Polanski AM about Local Essential Skills provision letter

Dear Sadiq,

Local Essential Skills provision

I am writing to you as constituents have contacted me about a threat to the delivery of essential education services.

They tell me that staff at Morley College received a formal notice from their HR department advising them that the college has begun a consultation process for a proposed restructure within the Essential Skills area. They say this is in response to a significant reduction in the GLA Adult Skills Fund allocation and the confirmation that the GLA will no longer fund over-delivery for the academic year 2025-26.

Constituents tell me that this restructure will drastically reduce the delivery of English, Maths, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at the North Kensington campus, with the college also intending to centralise Essential Skills delivery at the Waterloo campus which is miles away from North Kensington and not easily accessible for local residents. 

This proposal risks removing accessible and life-changing education for some of the most disadvantaged residents in North Kensington. Local people rely on these English, Maths, and ESOL classes to gain employment, attend further education, and participate fully in the community. 

They are extremely concerned that this decision will worsen inequality in their area and undermine the GLA’s commitment to widening participation and supporting lifelong learning. 

Would you be able to review the Adult Skills Fund allocation and its impact on deprived communities and work with the college to ensure that provision is still provided to those who need it most? 

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Yours sincerely,

Zack Polanski
Green Party Member of the London Assembly