The Cabinet Member Communities reported on the success throughout the County through the delivery of Employability Bridgend and sought endorsement for the Framework for Future Employability in the Cardiff Capital Region, which built on the Cardiff Capital Region Employment and Skills plan.  It was proposed that the framework be used as the basis for officers to work collaboratively across the Cardiff Capital Region and Wales to secure suitable future resources for employability work that replace those previously available through European Union (EU) funds. 

The Corporate Director reported that the Enterprise and Employability Manager of the Council would lead on negotiations with appropriate stakeholders in the development of partnership working and associated arrangements.  The Corporate Director Communities stated that she would in consultation with the Corporate Director Education and Family Support, Chief Officer – Legal and Regulatory Services, HR and Corporate Policy and Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change submit proposals to secure resources for employability through appropriate funds and agree partnership working and associated agreements which the Council are able to agree to, in line with the Scheme of Delegation.  She stated that any resulting funding offers would be presented to future meetings of Cabinet as considered appropriate for information or decision.

The Corporate Director Communities reported that all 10 local authorities in the Cardiff Capital Region currently deliver employability activity to support people into employment or to help them progress to more sustainable or better paid employment.  Following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, European Social Funding (ESF) will no longer be available to support projects to deliver on-going benefits for individuals, communities and the economy of the County Borough.  The ESF funded projects that are still active are now entering a closure phase and all projects must close, according to EU rules, by December 2023.

The Corporate Director Communities reported that to avoid a gap in the delivery of employability services, the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) has adopted an Employment and Skills Plan, which sets a clear vision of the future skills needs of the CCR and the activities that regional partners need to deliver to achieve this.  She stated that to build on this, the 10 CCR Local Authorities have worked together to create a single, clear, consistent framework for future employability projects in the region based on a shared vision, shared principles, and common tools.  She informed Cabinet that the framework is based on shared principles, which reflect on the lessons learnt from over 20 years’ experience of delivering employability projects across the region.

The Cabinet Member Communities stated that the importance of the employability proposals could not be under-estimated, and he commented that he would like to see engagement with people who have previously benefitted from the support of Employability Bridgend in getting back into employment.  The Leader commented that this a big opportunity for the County Borough and he urged residents who are at risk of losing their employment to get in touch with the Employability Team.  He stated that the had been successful in bringing the many programmes together and residents should not be deterred in contacting the Team as they will be found the best programme to suit them.

RESOLVED:            That Cabinet:

·          Noted the success that has been achieved, and the difference that has been made to the lives of people throughout the County, through the delivery of Employability Bridgend;

·         Approved the Framework for Future Employability in the CCR as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, which builds on the CCR Employment and Skills plan, and agrees that the framework be used as the basis for officers to work collaboratively across the CCR and Wales to secure suitable future resources for employability work that replace those resources previously available through EU funds; 

·         Noted that the Enterprise and Employability Manager will lead on negotiations with appropriate stakeholders through the LA Cluster Group set out in Appendix 1 in the development of partnership working and associated arrangements based on the principle of a collaborative locally delivered, regionally coordinated approach to employability post-EU;

·         Noted that in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation the Corporate Director Communities, in consultation with the Corporate Director – Education and Family Support, Chief Officer – Legal and Regulatory Services, HR and Corporate Policy and Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change will submit proposals to secure resources through the UKSPF and other appropriate funds around employability and any other projects developed around employability in accordance with the framework in Appendix 1 (to the report) and agreed any consequential partnership working and associated agreements which the Council has the power to agree to; 

Noted that any resulting funding offers will be presented to future meetings of Cabinet as considered appropriate.