Agenda item

At its meeting on 5^th February 2014 the Committee had received an update on the performance of the contract with Bromley College of Further and Higher Education to deliver the Bromley Youth Employment Project. The Committee had recommended, and the Resources Portfolio Holder had subsequently agreed, that the contract should be terminated, the resources reallocated and that a Task and Finish Group led by Bromley Education Business Partnership (BEBP) should undertake an options appraisal. The BEBP had been set up to help young people find out more about the world of work and had an experienced and informed team with an excellent record of delivering  learning opportunities with employers.(Further information is available at http://www.bromleyebp.org.uk/ .)

The Committee had set up a Member Working Group to oversee the work of the Task and Finish Group. This had met twice and its conclusions had been incorporated into the final proposals before the Committee. An additional sheet setting out the proposed governance arrangements, including monitoring and reporting arrangements to PDS Committees, a project board, the BEBP Steering Group and the Education Care and Health Services Departmental Management Team (EC&HS DMT), was tabled. 

In response to questions, officers confirmed that the target of creating 100 employment opportunities would include a range of jobs, internships and apprenticeships, and there would be a package of support to ensure that these placements were of good quality and  sustainable. It was considered that this was a realistic target based on experience in other boroughs and the expertise in the BEBP, which was very well respected in this field and would ensure that bureaucracy was minimised for employers. The project would also leave a legacy in terms of improved relationships with a range of businesses. The target cohort was those who, with some support and guidance, could move into employment or apprenticeships.

Members commented that the project would be competing against a very effective national apprenticeship scheme, as Bromley College had been, and that the new proposals transferred the risk back to the Council without the incentive of the penalties in the contract. It was also noted that the number of young Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimants had fallen and the employment situation in the borough had improved, although it was pointed out that not all the suitable young people would be claiming JSA. 

The Committee concluded that reporting and monitoring arrangements needed to be tightened to ensure that delivery was effective, leading to good quality contracted employment, with the Project Board meeting more frequently than every three months, and more regular oversight from the EC&HS DMT. The Committee also commented that reports should be made to this Committee and would not need to include Education PDS Committee, unless there were very specific education issues. The Committee asked that officers strengthen the proposals, discuss these with the Resources Portfolio Holder and report to the next meeting.

RESOLVED that the report be noted and a further report be submitted to the Committee’s next meeting addressing the committee’s concerns about monitoring and delivery.