Agenda item

Eamon Lally (Senior Adviser) introduced the paper. He updated members on the LGA’s lobbying position on employment and skills. He drew the board’s attentions to work the LGA was undertaking with the Department of Work and Pensions on the Work and Health Programme. He also highlighted developments for the adult education budget, apprenticeships and the future of Job Centre Plus. He informed the board that officers would also be working with the City Regions Board on this area.

In the discussion which followed, members raised the following points:

·         There was concern about the potential impact of the government apprenticeship levy. Reduced workforces made it difficult for local government to take on more apprentices and it was unclear how government would spend the levy.

·         Local government should continue to voice its concerns on the skills shortages problems to central government. Businesses were frequently unable to recruit apprentices because of a lack of candidates with the right skills. This situation had not been fully noted in the report.

·         The report needed to take account of the problems of the lack of transportation in rural areas for young people trying to get to college. Distance learning was not always an alternative, as an area needed good mobile and broadband provision for this to work. There were additional problems with recruiting staff to train apprentices in rural areas, because of the housing crisis.

·         Work in this area also needed to take into account that many people would need retraining at some point in their lives. Work could be done to better make use of existing skills.

·         There was concern that there was some reticence from government departments in allowing local government to work on this area. It was argued that it was important for areas outside devolution agreements to be able to influence the process, and that the provision of good skills training should not be dependent on being part of a devolution deal.

·         Colleges currently decided what skills/training courses were on offer and did not necessary teach the skills most needed. The desire to rank highly in the educational league tables encouraged educational institutions to focus on sending their students to sixth form and university. There was not enough value placed on apprenticeships as an alternative. Local government and LEPs needed to help connect companies and schools/colleagues and assist them in generating people with the right skills. The area needed better planning, co-ordination and delivery. It was emphasised that the LGA People and Places and City Regions Boards needed to present a common front in this area.

·         There was a further question raised over who would deliver the post 16 education and training institutions area based reviews.

Actions:

1.    LGA officers would circulate the article in the Sunday Times on a mismatch in higher education.

2.    The chair would set out the board’s position on this area in the Skills and Employment Meeting between People and Places and City Regions Boards Lead Members.

3.    The MSO would type up notes before this joint meeting.

Decisions:

1.    Members noted the report.

2.    Members agreed that officers would continue to work with government departments and find opportunities to engage with ministers and LEPs on this.

3.    Members agreed that officers would set out reasons in a green paper on why local government should be involved in this area.