Relicensing News

Keeping you informed

Hello and...

Welcome to the second edition of Relicensing News which has been developed to keep employers and other stakeholders informed about the relicensing of the Sector Skills Councils. If you missed the first edition follow this link to visit the archive section.

The independent assessments of SSCs conducted by the National Audit Office are well underway. Teams have completed the evidence analysis for SSCs in Tranche 1 (Skillset, Cogent, People 1st, SEMTA and Financial Services) and are now busy writing their reports. Planning meetings have been conducted with SSCs in Tranche 2 (Asset Skills, SummitSkills, Energy & Utility Skills, Skillfast-UK and e-skills UK) and the evidence analysis will begin shortly after the New Year. The Planning meeting process has also started for SSCs in Tranche 3. A more detailed update can be found in this edition's NAO update. The NAO also has a dedicated area on its website about SSC relicensing, follow this link to find out more.

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills and the NAO are both very keen to ensure all views are taken on board during the assessment, so if you'd like to share you views on one, or many, Sector Skills Councils, please visit our website to find out how.

We also want to hear your views about what you would like to see featured in future editions of Relicensing News, so if you have a question, view or suggestion, please use our comment box to let us know.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to colleagues or those who you think would be interested in receiving it.

Best wishes,

Natalie Brightwell

Editor, Relicensing News

Did you receive this newsletter as a forward? If you wish to receive future issues, please send an email to relicensing.newsletter@ukces.org.uk.

In this edition

• About the National Audit Office (NAO)
• NAO Update
• The Role of the Commissioners
• Up and coming feedback closing dates for Tranche 2 & 3 SSCs
• Updated Frequently Asked Questions

The National Audit Office employs around 850 staff and is headed by the Comptroller and Auditor General Tim Burr. He and the NAO are independent of government. Tim certifies the accounts of all government departments and a wide range of other public sector bodies and has statutory authority to report to Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which departments and other bodies use their resources.

Read full article online

The UK Commission is led by Commissioners drawn from the highest levels of the private, public and voluntary sectors. Through the SSC Committee, they provide leadership, advice and support to UKCES officials on developing and implementing the approach to the relicensing programme, including; playing an active role in the development of the relicensing framework and Prospectus, conducting visits to the SSCs and sitting on the SSC Relicensing Panel which ultimately gives advice to government as to whether an SSC should be relicensed.

Read full article online

The Commissioners have a very powerful and significant role in overseeing the work of the UK Commission through Five established Committees.

Read full article online

The Feedback deadline for SSCs in Tranche 2 is:

23 January 2009

Sector Skills Councils in Tranche 2:
Asset Skills
SummitSkills
Energy & Utility Skills
Skillfast-UK
e-skills UK

The Feedback deadline for SSCs in Tranche 3 is:

6 March 2009

Sector Skills Councils in Tranche 3:
Skills for Health
SkillsActive
Improve
Skills for Care and Development
Skills for Justice

The FAQs have been reviewed and updated since the first edition. New questions are in italics with 'new' icon next to them. Keep an eye on the website and future editions of Relicensing News as the FAQs will be regularly updated.

View the FAQ online

If you have any questions you feel should be included in the FAQs we would like to hear from you. Follow this link to send us your ideas.

To stop receiving the Relicensing News, simply send an email to relicensing.newsletter@ukces.org.uk