The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Skills has decided to award grant funding to training providers for the delivery of Skills Bootcamps in Swindon and Wiltshire.

URL: https://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2176

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Skills

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: 1.     The purpose of this report is to seek a decision from Cllr Hubbard to approve awarding of the section 31 grant funding apportioned to Wiltshire Council to the recipients below for delivery of Skills Bootcamps provision.   2.     The Programme was submitted and approved by the DFE in the for a bid for funding by the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP (SWLEP). The accountability for the funding moved to Wiltshire Council as part of the LEP transfer (cabinet meeting 19th March 2024). 3.     Wiltshire Council has been Granted £2,111,000.00 for the delivery of Skills Bootcamps across Swindon and Wiltshire for the financial year 2025- 2026   4.     The report seeks approval to award the following amounts to training providers for the implementation of the skills bootcamp:   Provider; WTTL    Pathway Amount to be granted A (Novice to Cat C) Up to £200,000 B (Novice to Cat C, then Cat C+E) Up to £175,000 D (Cat C to Cat C+E) Up to £60,000         Provider; Western Driver Training   Provision Amount to be granted PCV – D1 licence Up to £57,210        Provider; Yeovil College   Provision Amount to be granted Leadership & Management Up to £42,000       Provider; Wiltshire College Provision Amount to be granted Construction Groundwork, Air-source heat pumps, Leadership and Management and Teaching assistants Up to £104,000    

Content: 1.     The purpose of this report is to seek a decision from Cllr Hubbard to approve awarding of the section 31 grant funding apportioned to Wiltshire Council to the recipients below for delivery of Skills Bootcamps provision.   2.     The Programme was submitted and approved by the DFE in the for a bid for funding by the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP (SWLEP). The accountability for the funding moved to Wiltshire Council as part of the LEP transfer (cabinet meeting 19th March 2024). 3.     Wiltshire Council has been Granted £2,111,000.00 for the delivery of Skills Bootcamps across Swindon and Wiltshire for the financial year 2025- 2026   4.     The report seeks approval to award the following amounts to training providers for the implementation of the skills bootcamp:   Provider; WTTL    Pathway Amount to be granted A (Novice to Cat C) Up to £200,000 B (Novice to Cat C, then Cat C+E) Up to £175,000 D (Cat C to Cat C+E) Up to £60,000         Provider; Western Driver Training   Provision Amount to be granted PCV – D1 licence Up to £57,210        Provider; Yeovil College   Provision Amount to be granted Leadership & Management Up to £42,000       Provider; Wiltshire College Provision Amount to be granted Construction Groundwork, Air-source heat pumps, Leadership and Management and Teaching assistants Up to £104,000     Following consultation with officers I give notice that I intend to make the decision set out in the attached report. If you would like to make any representations to me on this issue, please do so by 30 July 2025. A range of stakeholders have been engaged; the interventions vary from online to classroom-based courses, and aim to up skill a diverse range of potential future employees. There is robust monitoring and outcomes focussed oversight from the Department of Education for the duration of the programme.   We have considered all the expressions of interest from providers and aimed to offer a broad and diverse delivery mechanism, involving a range of locations and delivery models. We have also continued to engage with stakeholders when making decisions to ensure the programme remains aligned with local market demand/ need.   The initial bid was submitted after extensive consultation with the SWLEP networks, as well as being informed by the local skills improvement plan. Consultation with other Local Authorities as has also been undertaken to learn from best practice and develop processes. The engagement of providers was sought through and expressions of interest process. The DFE have also been consulted throughout, signing off the initial big as well as monthly grant management meetings  

Date of Decision: July 23, 2025