COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (116 ) issued by COI News Distribution
Service on 13 May 2009
Councils must be
'fully focused' on providing job creation programmes
said Local Government Minister John Healey and Employment Minister
Tony McNulty in response to a key economic report.
Speaking on the same day as the latest unemployment statistics,
the ministers asked councils to lead their communities through the
downturn and spearhead bids for the £1bn Future Jobs Fund to
create 150,000 new jobs.
The Fund, announced in the budget, aims to prevent another
generation from ending up on the 'long term employment
scrapheap'. Government has not run a jobs programme for
decades but it has learnt the lessons of the 1980s.
The downturn is affecting all parts of the country differently so
this time round minsters want councils, who know their patch best,
to harness the £1bn fund to drive forward job creation from the grassroots.
The 'application form' for bids has also been published
today in DWP's Future Jobs Fund bidding documents following
consultation with local authorities. It sets out how councils
should submit innovative bids for the new Fund.
The Houghton report, commissioned by CLG and published in March
ahead of the budget, called for the creation of a jobs fund led by
councils. The announcement of the Future Jobs Fund provides a
clear response to that call and a challenge to local councils to deliver.
As recommended by the Councillor Stephen Houghton's report,
Ministers are also announcing that councils should now commit to
create unemployment profiles of their communities so they can
design jobs and skills programmes to fit local labour markets and
future demand partners. Guidance will be published shortly.
In line with the Houghton report recommendation John Healey and
Tony McNulty committed an additional £3 million to help councils
kick start their plans and build capacity with specialist support
provided by the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEPs).
In addition Government will establish a new National Worklessness
Forum to bring central Government, councils and other local
organisations together to find the best ways to help unemployed
people back into work.
Local Government Minister John Healey said:
"It is vital that at every level, whether Whitehall, the
Town Hall or the community itself, we are doing everything we can
to help people to stay in their homes and jobs.
"Every part of the country is being affected differently and
we want councils, who know their patch best, to lead grassroots
job creation campaign built by the community for the community.
"From today the Government is inviting applications for its
£1bn Jobs Fund so councils, especially those with deprived
communities, need to start thinking creatively about what they can
do to create new jobs."
Employment Minister Tony McNulty said:
"All levels of government need to work together to tackle
the challenges of the recession, so it's only right that we
are giving local authorities the tools they need to fix those problems.
"I want councils across the country to start bidding for
money from our Future Jobs Fund so they can help people in their
areas get back into employment while knowing that their work will
make bring tangible benefits to their local communities .''
Cllr Stephen Houghton said:
"The effects of the recession are being felt now by local
authorities and the communities they represent - it is here that
the blight of worklessness is felt and I know it is here that we
will find the solutions. The Future Jobs Fund and the
announcements today give councils a real opportunity to make a
difference to the lives of those facing unemployment but they are
also a real challenge. I am confident that we can work together to
ensure that we rise to this challenge."
Notes to Editors
1. The full Government response to the Houghton report, published
today, can be found at http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/tacklingworklessnessresponse
2. Information on the Future Jobs Fund can be found at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/futurejobsfund
3. Cllr Houghton's report, Tackling Worklessness: A Review
of the contribution and role of local authorities and partnerships
- Final Report can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/tacklingworklessnessfinal.
4. The report recommended that:
* Every council should conduct an assessment of local
unemployment by the middle of this year, evaluating claimant
trends, and assessing the impact of the downturn on the most
vulnerable groups in their local areas who may be
disproportionately affected and need innovative forms of
support.
* Councils should sign Local Employment Partnerships
and all local authority vacancies be advertised in Jobcentre
Plus.
Councils should sign skills pledges and make more use of
Train2Gain job training so staff with low qualifications can
progress further up the career ladder. Local Government and
Learning Skills Council to agree a compact on funding for
Train2Gain by Oct 2009.
A pre-apprenticeship programme for
'Young Public Servants' should be created with academic
credit for a new Diploma in Public Service to be in schools by
2010-2012.
* Councils with deprived groups and neighbourhoods,
especially WNF areas, should be required to develop detailed Work
and Skills plans.
Regional Development Agencies and Council leader boards should
work up ways to provide credit to small businesses. Councils
should increase their support for Community led financing for
lending to businesses in priority areas.
Media Enquiries: 020 7944 3042
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom