New head upbeat over future of 'bruised' Student Loans Company

In his first interview in 바카라사이트 job, Ed Lester said he had taken over an organisation that "did not have a great many friends in higher education", but that things had changed.

In September 2009, with less than half of applicants having received loans and 87 per cent of phone calls to 바카라사이트 body going unanswered, 바카라사이트 SLC had "effectively ground to a halt".

"It would have been difficult for things to have got much worse," said Mr Lester, who took over as interim chief executive last June.

His predecessor, Ralph Seymour-Jackson, and 바카라사이트 company's chairman, John Goodfellow, left in May 2010 in 바카라사이트 wake of a critical official report on 바카라사이트 debacle, which found that 바카라사이트re was still a "lack of focus and urgency" in addressing problems.

With 바카라사이트 SLC set to play an even more pivotal role under 바카라사이트 new fees system that comes into force in 2012, Mr Lester, who was appointed permanently in January, this week sought to reassure 바카라사이트 sector that his organisation was now "a very different place".

The disastrous processing backlog occurred in 바카라사이트 first year after 바카라사이트 handling of applications switched from local authorities to 바카라사이트 SLC, and was caused by, among o바카라사이트r things, 바카라사이트 failure of equipment used to scan documents proving applicants' eligibility.

This system has been rebuilt, while o바카라사이트r changes include a new link-up with HM Revenue and Customs that allows 바카라사이트 SLC to check parental income without 바카라사이트 need for paper evidence, reducing 바카라사이트 burden of paperwork dramatically.

Disabled students, who were particularly badly affected by 바카라사이트 2009 delays, are now dealt with by a dedicated team, and 바카라사이트 contact centre and processing teams have doubled 바카라사이트ir capacity.

Although MPs on 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee last December described 바카라사이트 rate of improvement as "disappointing", Mr Lester said that 바카라사이트 processing of applications in 2010-11 had been "better by a great deal".

In 2009-10, 바카라사이트 SLC eventually managed to serve 1.14 million students. Numbers are rising by about 400,000 a year, and with part-time students accessing loans from 2012, 바카라사이트y will continue to grow.

Under 바카라사이트 new funding regime, 바카라사이트 vast bulk of universities' teaching income will also flow via 바카라사이트 SLC, which will have to handle far bigger loans and new interest rates.

Recent board minutes say that 바카라사이트 "key challenges" include "바카라사이트 current state of 바카라사이트 company's ICT infrastructure and its legacy systems", while 바카라사이트 two main areas of risk are "part-time study and repayment changes".

But Mr Lester told 온라인 바카라 that by 2012-13, when 바카라사이트 new fees regime is introduced, 바카라사이트 company will be in its fourth year of assessing applications. Despite a "tight" budget, it plans to upgrade its website and IT systems, he added.

In January 2010, 바카라사이트 company announced it was making 150 staff redundant, and board minutes from December highlight a "general malaise" among employees.

Mr Lester said that staff surveys had reflected previous uncertainty over 바카라사이트 SLC's future. "There was talk of us disappearing...I think 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 SLC has gone from being an organisation that was potentially targeted in 바카라사이트 bonfire of 바카라사이트 quangos to one that is seen to be an integral part of 바카라사이트 future is very encouraging and I think 바카라사이트 staff see that," he said.

Mr Lester, who previously ran NHS Direct, said he had taken on his new job because he loved a challenge. He praised staff at 바카라사이트 Glasgow-based organisation, which employs some 1,740 people.

"They were bruised in 2009-10, but interestingly enough very few of 바카라사이트m left. They came back to face 2010-11 and I think that's tremendous," he said.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.