The Combined Authority moves one of its biggest new devolved responsibilities into delivery and Mayor Luke pushes Government for greater local influence earlier in the education and skills system.
Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA) took control of the Adult Skills Fund from August 2026, giving the region greater influence over the education and training available to adults aged 19 and over and allowing provision to be shaped around local economic need.
For the 2026/27 academic year, Hull and East Yorkshire has a £19.31 million devolved adult skills settlement. It brings together £15.72 million of core Adult Skills Fund provision, £2.29 million for Skills Bootcamps and £1.3 million through Free Courses for Jobs.
The move into delivery follows more than a year of preparation by HEYCA and partners to put the governance, commissioning, procurement, funding and performance arrangements in place. Contracts for 2026/27 provision have been awarded, with public contract award notices being published in line with procurement requirements.
From devolved funding to local delivery
Local control means HEYCA can direct adult skills investment around the needs of Hull and East Yorkshire rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all national approach.
The programme is focused on helping residents move into meaningful and sustained employment, progress into better-paid work and build the skills they need for changing industries, while helping employers access the workforce they need to grow.
It also gives HEYCA a stronger ability to connect skills investment with the wider economic opportunities set out in the region's Local Growth Plan, including growth in manufacturing, ports and logistics, energy, agri-food and other sectors where employers need skilled people.
Luke Campbell MBE, Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, said -
“This is what devolution should look like. We know our area, we know where the opportunities are and we hear directly from businesses and residents about what they need, so having more of these decisions made here makes sense.
“There’s been a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes to get us to this point, but people don’t need to hear about every meeting or every bit of paperwork. What matters is whether someone can get the skills they need for a better job and whether our businesses can find the people they need.
“We’ve got big opportunities in Hull and East Yorkshire. I want local people in the best possible position to benefit from them.”
Making the system work around people, not boundaries
HEYCA has also designed the system around the way people actually live, travel and learn rather than treating the Combined Authority boundary as a hard line.
Reciprocal arrangements are in place with Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority for residents who need to access provision across the Humber. Formal funding arrangements are also in place with York College and City of York Council for Hull and East Yorkshire residents who naturally access provision there, including people living around Pocklington.
Where only a small number of learners are affected, HEYCA have considered individual cases with colleges and residents and supported individuals to access appropriate provision. This has included funding individual learners to access provision outside the area, for example in Blackpool.
That has allowed specialist provision, accessibility needs, location and personal circumstances to be considered rather than a boundary automatically deciding what support is available.
Mayor Luke said -
“I don’t want a line on a map getting in somebody’s way if the right course for them happens to be somewhere outside our area. If there’s a sensible case for supporting someone, I want us looking at how we make it work rather than finding a reason to say no.”
Taking the case for earlier local influence to Government
The move into adult skills delivery comes as Mayor Luke presses Government for greater local influence earlier in the education and skills system.
On 10 September, following Mayoral Council, he joined the Secretary of State for Education at No10 North in Manchester for a Rewiring Education roundtable with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, schools, colleges and business leaders.
The discussion focused on the Government’s emerging reforms to 14-19 education, including stronger work experience, clearer pathways for young people and the future devolution of 16-19 funding.
Mayor Luke used the discussion to make the case for Hull and East Yorkshire to have a stronger say over how young people move from school into further education, technical training and employment, so the system connects more clearly to the skilled jobs being created across the regional economy.
Mayor Luke said -
“Waiting until 16 is too late. What I keep hearing from young people, schools, colleges and employers across Hull and East Yorkshire is that they want clearer routes into the skilled, well-paid jobs our regional economy is creating, with proper work experience and technical routes valued just as much as academic ones.
“Our region knows what it needs. That is why I want Mayors to have more influence over 16-
19 education and skills. I am determined to join things up locally and turn that into better opportunities for young people and stronger growth for our region.”
Turning the Local Growth Plan into opportunity
The wider aim is to join up investment, skills and employment rather than treating them as separate systems.
HEYCA’s Local Growth Plan identifies Building Skills and Good Work as one of four Big Plays for the next decade, alongside powering the region’s industrial future, backing local business and connecting and enabling growth.
That means making sure major investment and economic growth translate into better jobs, higher skills and stronger opportunities for people across Hull, the East Riding, rural communities and the coast.
HEYCA will oversee delivery and performance of the devolved adult skills programme, working with colleges, councils, independent training providers, employers and neighbouring authorities.
The move from preparation into delivery is another practical step in turning devolution into something people and businesses can use - bringing decisions closer to the region and joining up skills, jobs and economic growth around what Hull and East Yorkshire actually needs