LSC Chair Chris Banks announces that CEO Mark Haysom has stepped down
Dated: 24/03/2009

Chris Banks, Chair of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has announced that the LSC?s Chief Executive, Mark Haysom has tendered his resignation and it has been accepted.

Chris Banks says: "Mark Haysom is stepping down from his role as Chief Executive of the LSC, with immediate effect.

"The LSC has made great progress under Mark?s leadership and on behalf of the LSC?s National Council, I would like to thank him for the outstanding contribution he has made to the organisation and to its role of improving the skills of people in this country.

It is typical of Mark to want to take personal responsibility, as Chief Executive, for the difficulties we have experienced with our Further Education capital programme. He has offered to resign and I have reluctantly accepted his resignation.

"I have appointed Geoff Russell, formerly of KPMG, as Acting Chief Executive of the LSC and look forward to working with him."

Mark Haysom, in his resignation statement said:
"I have been enormously proud of what we have achieved during my time at the LSC. The LSC has been a positive force for good and a tremendous success story. It has helped to change the lives of millions of learners in communities up and down the country.

"During my five and a half years in this role, one of the things that I have been most proud of is our college re-building programme. Thanks to the investments we have made on behalf of the Government we have been able to change the face of Further Education in towns and cities across England.

"It is then with huge regret that I have reached the conclusion that, because of the well-publicised difficulties with that programme, I should now announce that I am stepping down from my role as Chief Executive.

"Leading the LSC has been a very great privilege ? the highest point of my career. But, as the man at the top, I am accountable for the performance of the LSC ? the good and the bad. There has been so much that has been good and the LSC has received many plaudits but it is now right that I take accountability for the current very difficult situation.

"Sir Andrew Foster has been asked to prepare a report on the college capital programme. I don?t need to wait for that report to be published before making my decision because it will, I?m sure, confirm what I now know ? that there have been failures in the way that the LSC has managed the programme.

"No matter where those mistakes have been made and no matter how many people have been involved in the capital programme, as the Chief Executive of the LSC I am, of course, finally accountable. That is why I have made my decision to step down at this time.

"It is a massive understatement to say that I will be very sad to leave the LSC. It has been an extraordinary experience to have been able to work with such an outstanding team of very talented, highly committed people."

Geoffrey Russell says: "I'm very pleased to be taking on this role. My first priority will be to urgently increase the certainty and clarity around the capital funding programme but also to continue the smooth running of the LSC during this period.

"Despite the current challenges, the LSC has been a successful organisation and is in a privileged position to help people improve their lives. I am looking forward to working with the organisation, Council and staff to build on this success through to the transition to its successor organisations."