Report recommends closure of Kirkdale Learning Centre
A report to Lewisham’s Mayor and Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 23 March recommends closure of the Kirkdale Learning Centre as part of a reorganisation of adult learning in the borough.
Adult learning in Lewisham currently operates from four designated sites: Brockley Rise, Granville Park, Kirkdale Centre and Grove Park.
Community Education Lewisham receives funding from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to provide adult education. This constitutes the bulk of CEL’s income together with fee income and is usually around £400k to £500k per annum. The SFA has announced that the skills budget for adult learning will reduce by 25 per cent over the next four years from September 2011. Grant funding from the SFA has already been cut by 18 per cent since 2006/7.
The report to M&C recommends that a public consultation now begins with a recommendation to close the Kirkdale Centre for adult learning from July 2011 and to move almost all of the current courses to other centres.
The report identifies that the Kirkdale building could be used to expand primary school provision in the area. Kelvin Grove Primary School is adjacent to the Kirkdale Learning Centre site.
For a full copy of the report visit: Mayor & Cabinet report
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevegrindlay/4284839029/sizes/o/in/photostream/ Photo courtesy of Steve Grindlay