The former head of funding policy at the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been temporarily contracted to the Skills Funding Agency.

John Bolt, who led the development of the current funding methodologies before leaving the Council, has been seconded to the Agency (which replaced the LSC in April 2010) by his current employer KPMG, where he is a specialist in advisory services to education.

During the role, which is believed to be a short-term contract, Mr Bolt will work on upcoming new funding rates and simplifying the system.

A statement released to FE Week today by the Agency read: “John Bolt is being seconded to the Agency by KPMG, to support the development of funding rates, which forms part of the work we are doing to simplify the funding system.”

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3 Comments

  1. So basically those currently employed were unable to complete the task themselves? Is that what’s happened here?
    .
    Also, much as I respect his work and his knowledge of the system, John’s previous efforts at simplification led us from 7 loadbands to 25 (or something like that, it was some time ago!), something I don’t think SFA will want him to repeat this time!
    .
    £250 a unit and four programme weightings, why isn’t this simple enough? it removes most of the avoidable trouble the current proposal brings (doesn’t fix SfL, but then I’m not sure what will…)

  2. Breathe Slowly

    Well given the staffing profile its not surprising the SFA need a bit of consultancy help….

    Executive Director 8
    Director 28
    Senior Managerial 119
    Managerial 358
    Supervisory / Tech 316
    Administrative 76

    Source:-
    http://readingroom.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/sfa/publication_of_expenses_2011-2012_q3_p07.pdf

    Geoff Russell’s retirement statement reads that his task of re-shaping of the SFA to meet the needs of the further education sector is complete. I’m not entirely sure this is true when none of his 900+ employees (of whom well over 50% are on a management grade) can implement the simplified funding formula!
    Well at least with John back we can look forward to some good old fashioned MIS fun – I’m sure there is room in the formula for a diophantine equation or two.