Congress motions

Motion

Motion title

Composite: To seek realistic funding for ACE from the Labour Government

Session

2024-2025

Meeting link

FE Conference

Meeting date

25 May 2025

Status

Carried

Motion

FE18

Motion text

Conference notes:
Government funding for ACE is currently stagnating at about 60% of its 2010
level; consequently, learner numbers have decreased by around 60% since
2010.
1. The average monthly cost of rented accommodation in Coventry has now hit
£1000. More learners are trapped in the gig economy, working unpredictable
shift patterns.
2. Coventry ACE, lost half of its managers in the 2024 restructure. Remaining
staff are feeling the impact of an increased workload. Learners are now
entitled to free bus tickets if earning under £32,000 annually: many of our
tutors earn well below that amount, as teaching full-time is unsustainable.
3. Many staff are leaving the sector, remaining staff have increased workloads,
wages are low and casualisation is rife.
4. Despite this, the government has recently told the combined authority
mayors to expect a reduction in skills budgets of 2 to 3 per cent for the
2025-26 academic year.
Conference believes that a properly funded and resourced ACE will contribute
significantly towards social mobility, upskilling the UK workforce towards secure,
well-paid employment.
Conference resolves
a. to call upon the UCU to lobby the Labour government to reverse this year’s
2% ACE funding cuts and increase funding to a realistic level.
b. To organise a lobby of Parliament, in conjunction with other organisations
where possible, to promote ACE, call for adequate, sustainable funding for
the sector and the immediate withdrawal of the threat of funding cuts.

Proposing body

West Midlands FE regional committee, Coventry Adult Education Service, Further education committee

Amended

No

Allocated to

Further education committee (FEC)

Notes