Why Combined Authorities Should Fund Training That Gives Them Full Oversight

Strategic authorities now hold the skills budget

In a written answer to Parliament in April 2026, the Department for Education said approximately 68% of the Adult Skills Fund was devolved to 11 strategic authorities, with four more strategic authorities and three local authorities joining from August 2026, taking the share to around 73%. In areas with a mayor, adult skills funding is a single pot with no ringfences.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, puts this on a firmer footing. It creates strategic authorities in law, gives them functions relating to adult education under its part on skills and employment support, and includes provisions on local growth plans. Strategic authorities also share ownership of Local Skills Improvement Plans with employer representative bodies.

With the money comes accountability

Integrated settlements give the most established mayoral authorities more flexibility, but the government's policy document is clear that they will be held to account for delivering the outcomes linked to their responsibilities, and must have systems in place to ensure value for money. Central government can add spending controls if delivery falls short.

The outcomes frameworks for 2026/27 to 2028/29, published in March 2026, set targets such as Level 2 and Level 3 achievements, measured largely through Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data. The National Audit Office's July 2026 report on devolution recommended that mayoral authorities ensure they have robust arrangements for local accountability and transparency.

In short: an authority that funds training will be asked what it achieved. Annual returns from providers are not enough to answer that during the year.

Why this matters most for care

Many authorities fund training for the adult social care providers they commission. Skills for Care reports 96,000 vacant posts in adult social care in England in 2025/26, a staff turnover rate of 22.1%, and that only 45% of the workforce outside regulated professions held a relevant social care qualification. It also notes that investing in learning and development supports staff retention. Funding qualifications for local care workers is one of the most direct ways an authority can improve local services, provided it can see the results.

The oversight you get with Orvanta

Progress reports for every learner

Enrolment, progress through each unit, assessment status and completion for every learner you fund, so you can see who is on track and who needs support well before the end of the year.

Reports by provider and by area

If you fund places across many care providers or boroughs, results are broken down by employer and by local area. You can see where funding is working and where take-up or progress is low.

Spend and outcomes reporting

What was spent, on which learners and qualifications, and what was achieved, set out in a format ready for board papers, scrutiny committees and funding returns.

A named account manager

One person who knows your contract, attends regular review meetings and acts on issues quickly, rather than a shared inbox.

Questions to ask any training provider

• How often will we receive progress data, and at what level of detail?
• Can results be broken down by the providers and areas we fund?
• How will you show spend against outcomes for our board and returns?
• Who is our named contact, and how often will we meet?
• What happens if a learner stops progressing?
• How do you handle learners' personal data?

Frequently asked questions

How much of the Adult Skills Fund is devolved?

The Department for Education told Parliament in April 2026 that around 68% was devolved to 11 strategic authorities, rising to around 73% from August 2026 as more areas take on the funding.

What is a strategic authority?

Strategic authorities are the tier of local government created by the English Devolution White Paper and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. They include mayoral and non-mayoral combined authorities and the Greater London Authority.

How are combined authorities held to account for skills funding?

Mayoral authorities with integrated settlements report against agreed outcomes frameworks for 2026/27 to 2028/29, with many skills targets measured through ILR data. Government can add spending controls if delivery falls short.

What reporting does Orvanta Open College provide to councils?

Progress reports for every funded learner, results by provider and area, spend and outcomes reporting for boards and funding returns, and a named account manager with regular review meetings.

Can a combined authority fund training for care providers it commissions?

Yes. Authorities can buy blocks of places and allocate them to local providers. Orvanta enrols the learners and reports progress back to the authority.