Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That the Rotherham Employment & Skills Strategy be endorsed.

2.    That it be noted that responsibility for delivering and monitoring of the Strategy sits with the Business Growth Board of the Rotherham Together Partnership (RTP).

3.    That it  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10

Consideration was given to the report which provided detail of the Rotherham Employment and Skills Strategy and sought Cabinet endorsement of its adoption by Council.

The Strategy was a Rotherham Together Partnership (RTP) document linking to the existing Rotherham Economic Growth Plan to provide a framework for delivery  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Jobs and the Local Economy

Strategic Directorate:           Regeneration and Environment

Consideration was given to a report which was presented for pre-decision scrutiny by the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment which was due to be determined by the Cabinet on 10 June 2019. The report provided detail of the Rotherham Employment and Skills Strategy. It was reported that the strategy was a Rotherham Together Partnership (RTP) document which linked to the existing Rotherham Economic Growth Plan, to provide a framework for delivery of employment and skills activity over the next five years. This was considered to be essential to provide a suitably enterprising and skilled local workforce to drive forward the sustainable long term growth of the Rotherham economy and allow it to compete in an increasingly global economy.

Members referred to the employment market for the local health economy and the shortage of health workers and health apprenticeships and sought to understand confidence levels in respect of work being undertaken to invest in that workforce. In response, the Strategic Director advised that the strategy was a partnership document and that the Council’s role was to influence and inform, but it was recognised that the future skills agenda was very important. Furthermore, the authority was cognisant of the need to better connect the approach to skills levels in the workforce across the borough in public and private sectors. The Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy added that it was key that all partners bought into the provisions of the strategy, as it would only be as good as the level of commitment shown by partners.

Reference was made to female economic inactivity, with 79% cited as being inactive and not wanting a job. Assurances were sought that this was properly addressed within the strategy and action plan. In response, officers confirmed that the figures did up carers following a piece of work undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University. It was recognised that more work was needed in this area on how this group could be better supported as the strategy development. It was noted that the Employment and Skills Sub-Group of the Rotherham Together Partnership would oversee progress in this area. Members felt that this required further discussion within the equality analysis accompanying the report.

Members noted that there were a number of dependencies within the strategy on external funding and other agencies and sought to understand how the risks of not securing funding or support from those agencies would be managed. In response, the Strategic Director advised that the success measure for the strategy was dependent on partners and other agencies across the local region and nationally.

Members referred to duty to encourage skills as well as education and,  referring to the recommendations from the Youth Cabinet in respect of the work experience offer for young people,  sought to understand the degree to which this would be deliverable. In response, officers referred to the Gatsby Benchmarks, which were not specific on what was to be provided. Schools were ultimately responsible for determining and delivering the work experience  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6