Extra £2.2m funding for adult skills across Greater Lincolnshire

Adult skills across Greater Lincolnshire will benefit from an extra £2.2m funding in the next financial year, as cross-council working continues to support the new Combined County Authority.

As reported, a key priority of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, (GLCCA), is adult skills. From 2026 the GLCCA will take control of the Department for Education’s Adult Skills Fund with an elected mayor and the authority’s board responsible for the delivery of adult skills.

An extensive amount of work is already being done by a team of officers from Lincolnshire County Council and North and North East Lincolnshire unitary authorities. Together they have formed a working group to fully engage with providers, businesses and people to understand the best way to invest the budget.

Ahead of the whole budget coming over to the GLCCA in the financial year 2026/27, the Government has just announced a further investment of £2.2m for the next academic year 2025 to 2026.

This funding will be used to provide more opportunities for providers to deliver key training in areas already set out in a Skills Strategy and the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). Training providers can now express an interest in securing a slice of this extra funding. For more information go to adult.learning@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Welcoming the news, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council Cllr Philip Jackson, whose portfolio includes responsibilities for skills, said: “It is clear that the Government recognises the need for people more locally connected to make the right decisions on where to invest – and I would like to thank all those involved in building relationships both at Westminster and here locally to secure both this extra funding, and in the medium to longer term, the very best plan for our adult skills.”

This funding has been granted ahead of the Mayoral election on Thursday 1 May when all eligible residents in the Greater Lincolnshire footprint are asked to vote.

The elected Mayor, along with the GLCCA board will oversee the investment into key priority areas which include driving economic growth, improving roads, infrastructure and transport, and creating new job opportunities for residents and businesses. By bringing decision-making closer to local people, the authority will ensure that funding and resources are used effectively to deliver real benefits.

For more on the GLCCA go to: www.greaterlincolnshire-cca.gov.uk