Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report provides an update on progress with the Stockport Work and Skills Commission and information about the how the Council id developing an Inclusive Growth Framework for Stockport.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to note and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Richard Mortimer on 0161 474 3864 or email: richard.mortimer@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on progress with the Stockport Work and Skills Commission.

The Cabinet Member (Economy & Regeneration) and Paul Holmes, Chair of the Work and Skills Commission answered questions in relation to the report.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Commission would be a short, focused exercise to lead a public debate with relevant stakeholders and partners on the work and skills issues that were impacting, and will impact, on the local people, businesses and economy in Stockport.

·         Workshops would be held to generate a range of views on what the main issues and problems with work and skills were and to provide suggestions for priorities and actions.

·         Plans to investigate the impact of universal credit and the poverty insight work being undertaken which linked directly with the work of the skills commission.

·         Understanding the barriers for people to access work but also their ability to stay in work once they have successfully gained employment.

·         The different challenges facing the commission moving forward – the issues of the here and now which can be dealt with in the next 6 mths, then medium term issues over the next 18 mths and then then longer term considerations which need to be addressed which could involve planning for the next 10 years.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report provides an update on progress with the Stockport Work and

Skills Commission, and information about how we are developing an

Inclusive Growth Framework for Stockport.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider and comment on the

report.

Officer Contact: Richard Mortimer on Tel: 0161 474 3864 or email: richard.mortimer@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Corporate Director for Place Management &Regeneration and People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on progress with the Stockport Work and Skills Commission and information about proposals for the development of an Inclusive Growth Framework for Stockport.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Councillors discussed how certain communities found it harder to access good quality work and skills provision than others and how the Skills Commission was an opportunity to better identify and understand the priority work, skills and local economic issues that affect Stockport.

·         Planned work included a series of half day workshops that would focus on businesses and business support organisations, people seeking work or in low pay and/or hours and skills, training and employability support providers.

·         The work on Poverty Insight would contribute additional information to inform the workshops, priorities and actions.

·         In the long term a new Work, Skills and Employability Board would be established after the Commission had ended and which would take ownership of the action plan from the Commission and drive the delivery of actions.

·         Councillors discussed how success would be measured and the baseline statistics gathered that would enable further analysis.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.