Expansion and improvement for adult learning in West Sussex are being predicted, as a result of plans to put the service on a new business footing.
Two two-year pilot schemes will be implemented to test the scheme, before rolling out a new 'social enterprise' business model across the whole county.
According to the county council, profits will be reinvested in the service, which will also be able to apply for new funding. It is currently unable to do this, being part of the authority.
Cllr John de Mierre, the county cabinet member for adults' services, said vast new avenues of opportunity for adult learning would be opened up in West Sussex.
"It will enable the service to become an independent adult learning champion," he added. "We will be consulting with residents at every stage of setting up the social enterprise and are planning a series of consultation events to be held next month, which we will publicise nearer the time."
Funding for the service is at present received from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), grants and through fee income. The service was not funded directly for adult learning by the county council.
If the service stayed in its current form, it would need to increase fees significantly year on year to cover rising costs and compensate for the reprioritisation of government funding for adult learning.
The government has made it clear it expected adult learning fees to rise to support learning that fell outside its priorities.
Cllr de Mierre added: "Adult learning is a vital service which enrols 24,000 learners each year, operates from 300 community venues, and runs more than 3,000 courses annually.
"I firmly believe moving the service to operate under a social enterprise framework will secure adult learning for the future across West Sussex to enable it to continue the work it does and expand and improve."
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The full article contains 388 words and appears in OS-Chichester Observer newspaper.
