Due to Barry Sheerman MP attending the Board, and his schedule, the Chairman requested a re-order to the agenda, and item three – Skills and Employment – are discussed before item two. 

Members agreed to the re-order. 

Jasbir Jhas, Senior Adviser, introduced item three.  This included the main headlines detailed in the report, as well as introducing Barry Sheerman MP & the Skills Commission which he chairs in Parliament that was conducting an inquiry into the future of the skills system. His attendance was a good opportunity to promote the LGA’s Work Local campaign with a view to this becoming part of the recommendations.  

Jasbir’s update specifically mentioned:

·         Our Work Local proposals have been refreshed and is presented as an offer to the new incoming Prime Minister.  

·         The Skills Task Force had engaged 28 external stakeholders on our Work Local campaign.  

·         The refreshed Work Local report was to be launched on 3 July at the LGA’s Annual Conference.  All members were encouraged to attend. 

·         New work to be developed on young people (Bushra Jamil to lead)

The Chairman then invited members to comment, making specific reference to paragraph 16, and asking members for their ideas on how to maintain the momentum?

Members expressed the need to include children in care, children leaving care and children with Special Educational Needs, as well as those living with disabilities. Members stated that there is a vacuum in support for adults. Officers agreed to factor this into future work. 

The Chairman then introduced Barry Sheerman MP who made the following points:

·         While education is  high on the public interest, the skills and further education  are not. More needs to be done.

·         From his own constituency perspective, highlighted the importance of skills provision connecting local people to local employment needs.  

·         The Skills Commission that he co-Chairs is investigating how to develop a skills system that responds to national and local need, with a clear focus on a strong further education sector. Al communities, both urban and non-urban, need access skills training which address local skills gaps. 

Following Barry’s presentation, there was a brief discussion with members which touched on new skills needed for young people, the lack of partnership working between FE and HE colleges.

The Chairman stated that the Board and wider LGA had been working on this agenda for a number of years through Work Local, and that currently we are publishing a refreshed report which we hope will feature in the Commission’s findings. With this in mind, the Chairman finished with two comments that her felt the Commission must address.

1.    How do we move from a centre-focused skills system, to a more local one?

2.    How to re-focus the government’s attention, from devolution deals with urban areas, to all areas that incorporate non-metropolitan and rural areas?

 Mr Sheerman responded

1.    The Department of Education needs to change and he advocated for a democratic link with local government. 

2.    He was not sure how to do this, given the current political landscape and Brexit dominating all national and international policy.

He concluded by promoting the Commission’s Guide to the Skills System which is available online, and praised Work Local.

Decisions

Members agreed to the following, as outlined in paragraph 16 in the report:

1.    Renew this area of work, with a focus on careers advice and guidance, and technical education (T levels) and transitions between pre-16 and post-16 years. 

2.    Working jointly with the Children and Young People board and the City regions Board, going forward into the 2019/20 Board cycle. 

The following action was highlighted in the discussion:

1.    A detailed paper on youth participation will be presented to the Board meeting in September.