· Strategic Priority 3: Action Plan
· General Update
TO FOLLOW.
Minutes:
Mary Manuel gave an update on the progress of Skills and Employment Sub-Group. In April 2010 the sub-group agreed the Interim Work and Skills Plan for the borough which was required by the previous government with a full Work and Skills Plan to be submitted by April 2011. Changes to the Skills Funding Agency and the closure of the Learning and Skills Council would have an impact in the area of skills and employment, however a number of Learning and Skills Council officers were now employed by the Local Authority and had significant expertise. The Chairman asked how skills and training would be funded in the future. Prathiba Ramsingh confirmed that Jobcentre Plus was still waiting for details of new schemes but the Future Jobs Fund had ceased. A new single programme was likely to be introduced in Spring 2011 and would replace the New Deal.
The Economic Partnership considered the draft Action Plan for Strategic Priority 3: Improving Employment Opportunities for Residents. Mary Manuel gave an overview of the plan, highlighting the need to develop and maintain high quality progression into employment for residents through local employment projects. The need to improve the access of Bromley residents to opportunities in the local and wider labour market was noted, particularly amongst younger residents, who had limited work experience, and those who were over 50 who might face additional barriers into employment. An action had been identified around improving the economic performance and employment levels in the borough’s more deprived communities and Mary Manuel highlighted the need for a range of different partners to work to engage residents in training and skills activities and to take advantage of the new borough-wide credit union service.
The aim to increase the proportion of businesses involved in training their employees was highlighted. Employment opportunities within the borough tended to generate a lower income than elsewhere in London. By encouraging businesses to train employees, the borough workforce would become better skilled and businesses would become more competitive. The types of training available should also be improved to meet the needs of businesses. There was an ongoing objective to increase the level of residents qualified to at least NVQ level 2, but there was also a new emphasis on higher level skills, providing opportunities for adults to achieve higher level qualification and improving the recognition of the value of higher skills in the Bromley labour market.
The Chairman asked whether it would be possible to provide remote links to Jobcentre Plus vacancies in the Council’s Cotmandene Centre, Mottingham Community and Learning Shop and local libraries. Prathiba Ramsingh confirmed that all Jobcentre Plus vacancies were accessible via the Jobcentre Plus website.
The proposal to carry out an employee survey to establish base line data around the number of businesses involved in training their employees was highlighted and it was suggested that it be linked to the business competitiveness survey.
RESOLVED that:
1) the action plan for Strategic Priority 3: Improving Employment Opportunities for Residents be noted;
2) any additional activities that partner organisations are planning or considering that could contribute to the action plan be identified;
3) that the Skills and Employment Sub-Group report progress against their action plan on a quarterly basis to the Economic Partnership;
4) that the timetable for implementation and the need for the Skills and Employment Sub-Group to manage and monitor their action plan on an ongoing basis be noted.