national office was not a typical headquarters – its main role was to produce guidelines and targets for its 47 local offices. It was announced in 2005 that the LSC's organisation structure would change as part of the Agenda for Change programme, creating a streamlined configuration with more focus on the regional dimension. Although management and administration has been restructured on regional lines, the 47 local Learning and Skills councils were retained. Redundancies Around 1,300 jobs were lost, 500 from the Coventry headquarters, the remainder from local offices. 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. The work-to-rule ceased on 26 June 2006 after PCS and LSC representatives reached agreement. Staff During its lifetime the LSC had three chief executives: John Harwood, Mark Haysom and Geoff Russell. Regions There were nine regions. East of England - Ipswich East Midlands - Meridian Business Park (M1/M69 junction), Leicester London - five offices in Stratford (East), Hounslow (West), Croydon (South), Palmers Green (North), and Centre Point on New Oxford Street (Central) North East - Team Valley, Gateshead North West - Arndale Centre, Manchester South East - Brighton and Reading South West - Bristol West Midlands - Birmingham Yorkshire and the Humber - Bradford Criticism 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. The money has not been spent in the right way and it is not delivering what the employers want." There has also been significant press criticism for its handling of EMAs, capital, adult funding and numerous other areas of work especially by its own staff over its handling of various restructures and more recently its closure and transfer of powers to the 2/3 successor bodies and 150 local authorities. Similar organisations The equivalent body in Wales was ELWa. In Scotland, colleges are funded by the Scottish Funding Council. Also in England, until 2006, there was the Learning and Skills Development Agency, which split into the Quality Improvement Agency and Learning and Skills Network in March 2006. See also Education in England