The City & Guilds privatisation has cast a shadow of controversy over the deal, with huge bonuses paid to senior executives casting doubt on their motives. The qualifications arm of one of England's most respected non-profits, which boasts a royal charter granted by Queen Victoria, is now owned by a Greek business that plans to cut costs and replace UK jobs with cheaper staff abroad.
The sale was made without parliamentary debate or scrutiny, raising questions about whether ministers were paying attention when the decision was taken. The deal has been shrouded in secrecy until recently, when it emerged that senior executives received £1.7m and £1.2m bonuses upon completion of the sale. This revelation has led to two separate investigations by the Charity Commission and PeopleCert itself.
The chair of City & Guilds' trustees, Dame Ann Limb, is also under scrutiny after claiming to have an MA and PhD that do not exist, and donating £50,000 to the Labour party. Her role in shaping the sale of the charity has raised concerns about her suitability as a trustee.
Critics argue that profit-driven businesses like PeopleCert will operate differently from charities, which are mandated by law to deliver a public benefit. The new owners plan to make savings totalling £22m and raise fees charged to colleges, potentially limiting students' options. However, having shed light on the deal, accountability is now being pursued, with senior executives expected to explain their actions.
While the sale cannot be reversed, delayed scrutiny is welcome. With City & Guilds still holding significant assets of up to £200m, its trustees must ensure that these funds are used for the greater good. As technical education becomes increasingly crucial, it remains to be seen whether PeopleCert will prioritize public benefit or profit over all else.
The sale was made without parliamentary debate or scrutiny, raising questions about whether ministers were paying attention when the decision was taken. The deal has been shrouded in secrecy until recently, when it emerged that senior executives received £1.7m and £1.2m bonuses upon completion of the sale. This revelation has led to two separate investigations by the Charity Commission and PeopleCert itself.
The chair of City & Guilds' trustees, Dame Ann Limb, is also under scrutiny after claiming to have an MA and PhD that do not exist, and donating £50,000 to the Labour party. Her role in shaping the sale of the charity has raised concerns about her suitability as a trustee.
Critics argue that profit-driven businesses like PeopleCert will operate differently from charities, which are mandated by law to deliver a public benefit. The new owners plan to make savings totalling £22m and raise fees charged to colleges, potentially limiting students' options. However, having shed light on the deal, accountability is now being pursued, with senior executives expected to explain their actions.
While the sale cannot be reversed, delayed scrutiny is welcome. With City & Guilds still holding significant assets of up to £200m, its trustees must ensure that these funds are used for the greater good. As technical education becomes increasingly crucial, it remains to be seen whether PeopleCert will prioritize public benefit or profit over all else.
! Like, I get it, businesses gotta make a buck, but £1.7m and £1.2m bonuses for senior executives? That's just not right 
. And now they're planning to cut jobs and replace them with cheaper staff from abroad? It's like they're prioritizing profits over people 
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. And now there are two investigations going on, which is good I guess? But we need to make sure that these funds are being used for the greater good, not just lining the pockets of greedy executives 
. This is such a huge deal and I'm keeping an eye on it, for sure 
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this sale is a total mess. I mean, £1.7m and £1.2m bonuses for senior executives? That's just wrong. And now they're planning to cut costs and ship UK jobs overseas? No thanks! 
It's like they think they can just waltz in here and start making decisions without anyone watching their back. The fact that it was done without parliamentary debate or scrutiny is just a huge red flag. I'm all for accountability, but this seems like a real slap in the face to UK taxpayers who trusted City & Guilds to be a reputable charity.
an MA and PhD that don't exist? That's just not cool. And donating £50,000 to the Labour party? Yeah, that raises some serious eyebrows. I'm glad someone is speaking out about this because it's definitely going to take some hard work to get to the bottom of what really went down here.
The fact that they still have £200m in assets is huge, but if those funds are just being squandered on executive bonuses and questionable business deals... then I don't know what's going to happen. 
And what's up with Dame Ann Limb's credentials? Doesn't sound legit 
We need to make sure that technical education is still prioritizing the public good, not just raking in profits 
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️. The trustees need to make sure that City & Guilds' £200m worth of assets are being used for good, not just to boost the profits of PeopleCert. It's a big responsibility, but someone's gotta hold them accountable 
. If fees go up and more jobs get cut, it's only gonna make it harder for people to get the skills they need to succeed in the world of tech 
. Fingers crossed that PeopleCert will surprise us all and do things differently 
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, and we need to make sure that these qualifications arms are serving the greater good, not just lining the pockets of shareholders 
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. This sale just seems like a recipe for disaster 
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. Like, City & Guilds is such a well-respected org in the UK and they just sold themselves off without anyone even knowing? It's like, what were they thinking? 
And now these super-rich Greeks are coming in and promising to "cut costs" and replace people with cheaper staff abroad... it's just not right 
. I don't want to see people losing their jobs because of some business deal that's all about profit 
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. I mean, if she can't even be honest about her own qualifications, how can we trust her with the future of this charity?