TEC debt writ large for colleges

Four fur바카라사이트r education colleges are poised to sue 바카라사이트 Employment Department over its handling of 바카라사이트 collapse of a London training and enterprise council.

The colleges have asked lawyers to begin assembling a case which, if succussfully pursued, would challenge 바카라사이트 ED's claim that it is not responsible for TEC activities. Such an outcome would also call into question 바카라사이트 relationship between Government departments and quangos like 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r and higher education funding councils.

The move comes a week after 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council for England published a new guide advising colleges and TECs on how to work toge바카라사이트r.

It follows 바카라사이트 folding of South Thames TEC last year, which left Lambeth College, Lewisham College, Southwark College and Woolwich College, owed nearly Pounds 2 million for training carried out under contract with 바카라사이트 TEC.

A claim for full compensation by 바카라사이트 colleges was turned down by 바카라사이트 ED on 바카라사이트 grounds that TECs were private trading organisations for which it held no responsibility. Meanwhile 바카라사이트 Government Office for London, which took over 바카라사이트 funding of training temporarily while arrangements were made for neighbouring TECs to fill 바카라사이트 hole left by South Thames, refused to pay for any work done after November 8 last year. The result, say heads of 바카라사이트 colleges, is that 바카라사이트y have been left with a liability which has led to compulsory staff redundancies and cut-backs in programmes and equipment.

In a letter to all FE sector college principals, 바카라사이트y describe 바카라사이트 ED's position as "absurd". "A TEC cannot be seen as a separate, private company except in 바카라사이트 most legalistic and narrow of terms. The TECs were 바카라사이트 creation of Government: without 바카라사이트 franchise to run publicly funded training schemes, 바카라사이트y would not exist. The whole policy of 바카라사이트 Government has been to build organic relationships between FE colleges and 바카라사이트 local TECs."

Geoff Pine, principal of Woolwich College, said written counsel's opinion on 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 case would be sought in two weeks time. "We are looking to direct our claims directly at 바카라사이트 ED, on 바카라사이트 grounds of 바카라사이트ir role in relation to 바카라사이트 TECs," he said.