REPORT TO REGENERATION COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, 1 JULY 1998
SUBJECT
MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION
This report gives details of NVQ irregularities in delivering NVQs at Metrochange House Business Administration Training Centre. It also outlines the actions being taken to investigate the causes of the problems and to take remedial action to ensure that such a problem cannot recur in the future.
CONTACT OFFICER: Mick Binns 752689
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: DAVID KENNEDY, Executive Director, Office of Regeneration & Strategic Support
Tel: (01274) 752582
Fax: (01274) 305914
Report to Regeneration Committee
Wednesday, 1 July 1998
The Adult/Youth Training Section, formerly part of the Economic Initiatives Division, and, since April 1998, part of the Regeneration Division provides vocational training for young people, unemployed people and to a lesser extent, employees in local organisations.
Appendix 1 summarises the various training centres which comprise the section.
It is the purpose of this report to give details (as far as is possible at this stage) of irregularities in delivering NVQs at Metrochange House.
It also outlines action being taken to investigate the causes of the problems and to take remedial action to ensure that such a problem cannot reoccur in the future.
The section is one of the largest local training providers to both the Bradford and District Training Enterprise Council and the Employment Service.
In 1998/9 the total projected budget is £3.3 million of which £ 1,200,000 will be income from the TEC, £ 175,000 income from the Employment Service, £740,000 from other external sources and £ 1,185,000 from the Council.
It is a projected budget because much of the funding is performance related and depends upon outcomes.
The range of training and employment programmes on offer include.--
-Modem Apprenticeships
-National Traineeships
-Other training for young people (formerly Training Credits)
-Training for Work
-Jobclubs
-New Deal
- Full Time Education and Training Option
- Environment Task Force Option
- Voluntary Sector Option
The majority of programmes are recontracted annually in April, although some Employment Service Programmes fall at different times of the year.
The section has 115 staff in total of which 23 are temporary open ended contracts, 15 are temporary fixed term and 77 are established posts.
The Section is audited on a regular basis as follows:
6 monthly checks by each of the Awarding Bodies to ensure that their standards are met.
Regular checks on systems and claims etc. to ensure that their funding is correctly administered and that TEC programmes operate as they should.
The section has had accreditation to IS09002 since 1993 and both internal and external audits against the quality assurance procedures are carried out twice yearly.
From time to time routine checks on financial issues/procedures are carried out by internal audit.
DFEE audited the centre at Metrochange House in January 1998.
The complaint was made in February 1998, to both Internal Audit and QCA, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. At that point it was agreed that Internal Audit would take no action pending an investigation by the QCA.
The concern is centred around allegations of non-compliance with Awarding Body standards in the operation of the Metrochange House Business Administration Training Centre.
The centre has operated National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) since their inception about 5 years ago.
QCA took away 28 portfolios, which are essentially the summary of the candidates evidence of competence in each of the Units and Elements which make up the NVQ.
QCA did an evaluation of the portfolios and reported their findings to the London Chamber of Commerce Institute (LCCI), the awarding body. LCCI then took away portfolios and training records for a further 14 trainees for analysis.
We received notification from LCCI on 12th June that 42 certificates which had been awarded at the centre had been invalidated.
At a meeting on 18th June 1998, LCCI summarised their findings.
This cannot be reproduced in detail as it refers to specific trainees and short comings /inadequacies in portfolios which the centre had assessed as being complete and awarded certificates.
Their findings are that the methods used to assess competence are inadequate.
A management investigation has taken place at the centre which has not yet been completed due to sickness leave. The results of this management investigation will be reported to the appropriate Committee.
However, in order to ensure complete objectivity the Council's Internal Audit Section have now taken overall control of the Council's investigation.
Internal quality audits have been carried out at 3 of our other centres. Some irregularities have been found and further investigations are taking place by internal auditors, Awarding Bodies and QCA.
The findings will be made known in due course.
New procedures for the delivery of NVQ's are being drawn up which have been shown to QCA and LCCI who have given their comments and advice.
These are being implemented across all centres as a matter of urgency and conform to the "Common Accord" for delivery of NVQ'S. This is QCA's document which sets out the standards which all Awarding Bodies and NVQ providers must adhere to.
Clearly there is a major concern about the failure to deliver NVQ's to the required standard.
A substantial amount of re-work and reassessment is needed to bring past and present candidates to a level where a certificate can be awarded.
Of the 42 portfolios examined by QCA and LCCI none were acceptable and all certificates are invalidated. A great deal of work needs to be done to bring candidates to the correct level
In addition, the centre currently has 82 current trainees whose portfolios all need to be re-done.
All trainees, past and present, have been written to, giving details of certificates invalidated and the need to re-work the current portfolios. Some evidence can be transferred but it is no exaggeration to say that it is almost necessary to start again.
Meetings are being held with trainees both in groups, to clarify the position, and individually, to establish the best way forward.
A great deal of work will now be done to put right the major failings at Metrochange House and to restore confidence so that we can ensure that all of our provision is of the highest quality.
In addition, any problems at other centres will be corrected as a matter or urgency.
It is impossible to put a figure on the financial effects of this problem at this stage, but as the costs become clear a full report will be submitted to Members.
As stated action is being taken to ensure that this major organisational failing is remedied and that public confidence is restored in our service.
The Metrochange House centre, in its current form, will not be able to change fast enough to meet the needs of our clients and the expectations of the public, funding bodies, Awarding Bodies and QCA.
It will not be advisable to enrol new trainees to this centre at present.
Plans are in hand to close the centre at Metrochange House and establish a provision at Bradford 1TeC, for current and future candidates. These plans have been discussed with the awarding body, LCCI, who are seeking approval from QCA.
The new centre will initially be based at the ITeC, Broomfield House but will move to new premises at West Riding House when refurbishment has been completed.
The new centre will operate new systems and procedures, have additional staff and additional/new equipment.
On 22nd June QCA contacted management of the section to inform us that a full investigation will now be carried out by them to encompass all of our training centres.
This has now started and it is not yet known how long it will take.
It is recommended that Members approve the action being taken as follows:-
Internal Audit take overall charge of the Council's investigation
continuing cooperation with QCA investigations;
introduction of new systems and procedures in all centres;
establishing a new centre for delivering business administration training,
It is further recommended that Training Sub-Committee monitors this process.
M G Binns, Contract Services Manager
24 June 1998
Bradford Administration and Information Technology Centre
Bradford 1TeC
Fieldhead Electronics Centre
Keighley Training Group
Mitre Court Training Services
Barkerend Road Centre (New Deal)
Shipley Jobclub