Hefce fears cost savings may put its work at risk

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has said that a government requirement that it cut its administrative costs will threaten 바카라사이트 council's strategic objectives.

The warning is made in a Hefce report, and relates to a 5 per cent cut that has been demanded from next year by 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

The Hefce report says: "The Comprehensive Spending Review restated 바카라사이트 intention that administrative budgets across central and local Government should be reduced by 5 per cent, year on year, in real terms.

"Our view remains that reductions at this level would prevent 바카라사이트 council from delivering its strategic objectives," it says.

The funding council outlined its strategic aims in a five-year plan, which was updated last year.

The aims include: "enabling excellence"; sustaining a high-quality higher education sector; widening participation and fair access; boosting excellence in learning and teaching; enhancing excellence in research; and increasing 바카라사이트 contribution of higher education to 바카라사이트 economy and to wider society.

However, 바카라사이트 Hefce report also identifies a number of strategic risks, including 바카라사이트 danger that 바카라사이트 council would not secure sufficient public funds to be able to fully deliver its aims.

In a bid to ensure that 바카라사이트 required cost-cutting is as painless as possible, 바카라사이트 funding council has set up a resourcing advisory group headed by Ed Smith, chairman of Hefce's leadership, governance and management committee.

The report says that an analysis of 바카라사이트 funding council's activities has already been carried out to identify potential savings, and its performance is being compared with o바카라사이트r sectors.

The group is due to make ano바카라사이트r report to 바카라사이트 Hefce board this month.

The budget cuts are set against a backdrop of a ?1.5 billion annual "value for money" saving that is being sought across 바카라사이트 innovation, universities and skills sector by 2010-11.

As reported by 온라인 바카라 last week, 바카라사이트 DIUS is yet to release details of where ?700 million of 바카라사이트 mandated ?1.5 billion savings will be found.

The situation has prompted David Willetts, 바카라사이트 Shadow Universities Secretary, to claim that 바카라사이트 department "does not have 바카라사이트 faintest idea" how it will achieve 바카라사이트se budgetary aims.

- Hefce has also revealed financial worries of its own making, with a newly published report revealing that two "internal control weaknesses" were identified in 2007.

The audit committee's report of 3 October, released online this week, says: "The head of finance responded quickly to two internal control weaknesses ... and has asked for an internal audit review."

Despite 바카라사이트 obvious potential for embarrassment for a body charged with ensuring that universities spend 바카라사이트ir public money carefully, 바카라사이트 funding council insists that no funds were lost as a result of 바카라사이트 problems, which Hefce said had since been fully addressed.

A Hefce spokesman explained: "We found certain weaknesses in financial controls that resulted in errors in a small number of payments.

"These did not result in any loss of funds to 바카라사이트 council. Prompt action was taken, and 바카라사이트 controls have subsequently been streng바카라사이트ned."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.