UHI Rural and Islands College merger proposal: consultation analysis

8. Annex B – Letter From Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar To Merging Colleges’ Consultation – November 2022

Response from Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar – Late Response

The Comhairle would like to thank officers of UHI for taking the time to meet both elected Members and Officers and taking the time to answer questions.

It is recognised that in these challenging times all organisations are obliged to consider changes which ensures that current and future needs of communities are met.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar approaches the Consultation from this perspective:

Educational Needs of our Communities: UHI in the Outer Hebrides must, first of all,provide a service that meets the needs of the Islands. Educational provision should be determined by the learning needs of those who live in the community. Working in partnership with the Comhairle and other key partners such as Skills Development Scotland can provide the data and needs analysis of the community and support focused service development.

Islands Impact Assessment: it is essential that an Islands Impact Assessment is carried out as any change in the delivery plans of local services affects people across our Islands. A well-researched and prepared Islands Impact Assessment should provide strong evidence that consideration has been given to island communities.

Shared Resources: with the merger of all support services including Finance/IT/HR/Legal, the Comhairle is seeking evidence and assurance that these and other similar functions and posts will be allocated in a fair and equitable manner across the three areas, not just in the short term but also in the long-term. It is vitally important to our community that there remains access to high quality jobs in these sectors. The recent advertisement of a shared Director-level post for Finance & Resources with a requirement that the post be based at the Fort William college centre is not encouraging. There are reports that the senior IT post will be based at North Highland College. Surely all posts should be advertised on a location-neutral basis, or, if there is an intention to spread Director-level posts among the three Colleges, why has this strategy not been communicated to partners and local authorities? Clarity on these issues is urgently required.

Governance Structure and Local Advisory Board: it is essential to the Comhairle as a key partner that clarity on the proposed Leadership and Governance Structure is provided, and additional information on the development of Local Advisory Boards is required quickly. It has been acknowledged by UHI that there will be a focus in the early years post-merger on ensuring equity across all three communities, which is to be commended. It is only with a strong Local Advisory Board (LAB) that the long term aims of communities will be fully understood. We emphasise that retaining a clear understanding and responding to the needs of the communities must be core to this process. With this in mind, a strong partnership relationship going forward but also a seat around the table alongside local businesses through the DYW Board will be essential. What will the LAB’s reporting lines be to the new College Board and what account will the new Board be required to take of its recommendations?

Gàidhlig: the Comhairle promotes wherever possible a policy of ‘Gaelic First’ and seeks assurance as to how the Gaelic identity of UHI in both Further and Higher Education in the Outer Hebrides will be continued and promoted in the context of a merged College.

Identity/Branding: the Comhairle understands from recent discussion that another

rebranding exercise is proposed should the merger go ahead. The Comhairle wishes to express its concern that any further rebranding is likely to cause further distancing of the identity of local campuses from their Island roots and local identity.

Equity of Provision: the Comhairle would welcome the wider and more sustainable

curriculum offer that is being proposed by the merger. Having a curriculum based on equity and specifically regional equity of access, Personalisation and Choice, Parity of Esteem, which is driven by data, evidence and the Scottish Government 15-24 Learner Journey is a welcome baseline for all delivery.

The functional 15-24 Learner Journey (particularly senior phase design) requires collaboration across education providers in the development, delivery and review of provision ensuring that progression pathways and transition arrangements between providers are clear and well supported. This will require to:

• be accessible and understandable to learners and parents and signpost the offer that is actually available to them in their area individually and as families
• support all young people to participate in education, employment and training
• increase personalisation and choice – putting learners in control of what and how they learn
• enable regional equity of access
• promote parity of esteem, using the SCQF to set out all types of learning on offer, without hierarchies
• support growth of provision, increasing the range of learning options available to young people
• be data/evidence driven
• be future-focused and promote different flexible approaches to learning – physical, digital and shared across education providers '

School Timetables: it is acknowledged that not all schools across the three regions will be on a harmonised timetable and will have varying holiday allocations. The Comhairle would welcome additional information regarding proposed plans to meet the needs of all schools.

‘Remote Rural’ Offer: all local learning centres in the Outer Hebrides provide vital

resources to the local community but there is concern, particularly for smaller centres such as the learning centres in Uist and Barra. While there was recognition at the meetings with UHI representatives as to the vital nature of these centres, the Comhairle seeks further reassurance that the offer available through these centres will continue to grow and how that will be taken forward. Also, there is an opportunity and need to address the provision of accommodation for students and the thus far under-developed concept of university communities or of Stornoway as a university town.

Progression Pathways/Assessment for Prior Learning: the Comhairle recognises the costs associated with university education and with young people leaving the Island to attend university. During the consultation discussions held there was discussion of increased curriculum choice which is welcome. The Comhairle would welcome a detailed educational rationale mapping out potential pathways, such as an HNC/D pathway locally which still provides options for a final year at a mainland city campus.

The Comhairle wishes to thank UHI for the opportunity to submit a response and looks forward to further and early engagement on the matters set out above.

Malcolm Burr

Chief Executive, on behalf of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

8 November 2022