In July 2009, the Public Accounts Committee described the LSC's handling of its college building programme as 'catastrophic mismanagement'.

Although management and administration has been restructured on regional lines, the 47 local Learning and Skills councils were retained.

The restructuring process was challenged by the PCS Union, with a strike that took place on 28 April 2006, and a work-to-rule commencing in May 2006.

[citation needed] During its lifetime the LSC had three chief executives: John Harwood, Mark Haysom and Geoff Russell.

[6] Former leader of the CBI, Sir Digby Jones, was critical of the LSC during his time as the UK government's skills envoy.

Speaking of the LSC management and outcomes, he said: "It is what I call the British Leyland model - you put a lot of money in at the top and an Austin Allegro comes out at the bottom.