Issue - meetings

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented to them an overview of employment, learning and skills activities in Halton.

It was reported that the Employment, Leaning and Skills Division sat within the wider Economy, Enterprise and Property Department and consisted of the following services:

·       Adult community Learning;

·       Family Learning;

·       Halton Employment Partnership and Employability Programmes;

·       Halton People into Jobs, delivering on the following contracts:

Ø  DWP Work and Health Programme

Ø  DWP Households into Work

Ø  DWP/ESF Ways to Work; and

Ø  ESF/Big Lotto Digital Inclusion Project

·       Liverpool City Region (LCR) Apprenticeship Hub (managed on behalf of the Combined Authority).

It was noted that the services / contracts that the Division delivered were 100% externally funded for the past 5+ years by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).  Additionally, the Division had been successful in being awarded European Social Funds (ESF) to deliver a number of projects.

The report provided Members with updates relating to:

·       Devolution of the Adult Education Budget (AEB);

·       Skills Capital;

·       ESF Calls; and

·       The Skills and Apprenticeship Hub.

Members noted the introduction of new courses teaching website design, marketing and digital advertising and marketing with film, which would fill a gap that existed in these areas.  They also welcomed the bid that was being made by Halton on behalf on the Liverpool City Region (LCR) for the National Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) funding. 

Further, since the publication of the agenda, it had been confirmed that the Apprenticeship Hub would continue to be hosted and managed in Halton on behalf of the LCR (discussed in paragraph 3.4.13), this was also welcomed by the Board.  

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.