Issue - meetings

The Board received a report which presented the final outcome of the Scrutiny Topic Group ‘Better Jobs to Make Better Lives’, this was attached at appendix 1.

It was reported that over the past 12 months, Members of this PPB had been working on a Scrutiny Topic Group, which had considered how and to what extent any jobs being created in the Borough were accessible to local people.  Within the context of this work Members had evaluated the employment, learning and skills services provided by the Council which identified the opportunities and challenges the Council faced in delivering these services, whilst taking into account the non-statutory nature of these services.

In summary the report acknowledged the positive work that the Council undertook to support residents into training and or employment, but recognised that employees from outside the Borough commuted to take up higher paid job opportunities provided by Halton businesses.  The report considered actions already being taken and further actions that could be implemented which would increase the number of residents accessing these jobs in the future.

Members gave their thanks to the Officers involved in the Topic Group.  It was commented that the LGA Graduate Development Plan would be used as a way of enticing graduates in the Borough to work in the Borough.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    Members approved the conclusions and recommendations presented in the report; and

2)    the recommendations be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.