College growth probed by FEFC

A college in Cheshire which has achieved growth of more than 266 per cent over 바카라사이트 past 11 months is being investigated by 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council as a result of its prolific franchising operation.

Halton College is scheduled to receive a 33 per cent rise in its funding council allocation for 1995/96, by far 바카라사이트 biggest leap in 바카라사이트 sector. This will take its FEFC support to more than Pounds 10.5 million.

The college contracts with large local and national companies to provide for a range of training needs from guidance and counselling on which National Vocational Qualifications employees should take, to "upskilling" and assessing and verifying performance. A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 FEFC confirmed that 바카라사이트 college was under investigation by 바카라사이트 council.

She said that if Halton had been engaged in activities in 바카라사이트 current year which were beyond 바카라사이트 remit of its FEFC funding, "바카라사이트 college's funding will be adjusted accordingly and funding for 바카라사이트 coming year will be looked at again".

Jenny Dolphin, vice principal, said Halton had designed a strategy which was within 바카라사이트 FEFC guidelines to exploit a market opportunity with students already in employment. Halton also supports training of students with learning difficulties and says that it is now 바카라사이트 largest provider of such training.

Ms Dolphin said Halton used NVQs to help provide firms with a skills audit. She said 바카라사이트 college had used FEFC funds "to enable us, in effect, to offer a discounted pricing structure for training by subcontracting some of 바카라사이트 work to 바카라사이트 company". Its staff visited on a regular basis to conduct quality checks.

"We have had our external auditors in to verify and audit 바카라사이트 numbers and to check 바카라사이트 work we do is within 바카라사이트 funding methodology guidelines. We want to add value we do not just want to be a conduit for passing money to people. That is not what we do."

The FEFC has been concerned about franchised courses for some time and has set up a working party to establish new guidelines.

Ms Dolphin said that 바카라사이트 FEFC had not told 바카라사이트 college that it was under investigation. "They have not contacted us to say what 바카라사이트 allegations might be," Ms Dolphin said.