A group of Further Education students, led by three student presidents, met Dr Phil Norrey, Chief Exec of Devon County Council, in the council chamber at County Hall this week to get his take on vital issues that will determine their future success and prosperity.

The students, representing local FE colleges, challenged Devon’s Chief Exec on how his leadership would support and improve both skills training and job prospects in the county. In response, Dr Phil Norrey listed supporting Devon’s economy and improving the knowledge and skills of its residents as the council’s top priorities. “Our county’s got a great belief in the fact that we need to skill and equip not just young people, but people who are already in the workforce, in order for you to be able to cope with the challenges you’re going to face,” he said.

Phil pledged his commitment to lobby hard to protect the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) paid to students on low incomes to allow them to continue in education, believing continuing to learn is the key to future prosperity. “EMA seems fundamental,” he said, “You need it just to make it possible to study effectively. It’s an incentive that can tip the balance for staying in education.”

When challenged about how the council will tackle the long-standing problem of Devon’s under-funding from central government, Phil highlighted his support of the ‘Hands up for fairer school funding’ campaign. The campaign is fighting to change the outdated funding formulas that see Devon’s children receive approximately half of the budget City of London children enjoy. “We’re working very hard on influencing that,” he reported.

Phil welcomed national changes to the way FE is funded that will take the majority of spending control away from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and put it in the hands of Local Authorities, stating his confidence in the council’s ability to take on the responsibility. He reassured the students that the council’s track record in handling a £1 billion annual budget, the close relationships it has with Devon colleges and the expertise in educational planning and provision it can call upon was a winning combination that would greatly improve skills and training in the county.

“We’re beginning to determine our own destinies working collectively. We can tailor, over time, what is provided, creating an overall programme which meets the needs of the local economy in a better way than could be done at a regional level.”