East Sussex College rated as being in ‘inadequate financial health’ by Government

A college in Sussex has been labelled as being in ‘inadequate financial health’ by the Government.
East Sussex College Ore Valley site SUS-191128-095806001East Sussex College Ore Valley site SUS-191128-095806001
East Sussex College Ore Valley site SUS-191128-095806001

East Sussex College, which has campuses in Hastings, Eastbourne, Newhaven and Lewes, was told by the Education and Skills Funding Agency it was making a ‘formal intervention’ as a result.

At the end of the 2018/19 academic year the college group’s outstanding debts were around £9.5 million.

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In its latest financial report, the group said: “It remains the case that there are a number of local, regional and national challenges and uncertainties that make planning beyond the next financial year particularly challenging.”

The Government has written to the college group, warning it would take further action if bosses did not improve the group’s finances over the next two years.

Last January teachers at East Sussex College Group (ESCG) took to picket lines in a strike calling for better pay and conditions.

Staff from the group’s campuses in Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes, and Newhaven protested outside with placards.

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At the time ESCG said the lack of funding from government for higher education had put a ‘huge strain’ on colleges.

A spokesman for the college said: “East Sussex College Group has already implemented additional financial controls and introduced a new business planning process for this year to ensure we improve our financial health in line with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) requirements for 2019/20 and 2020/21.”