Agenda item

To discuss the Implementation of the City Deal proposals.

The Joint Committee considered a report outlining the approach to the implementation of the Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal.  The Joint Committee was reminded that the City Deal covered the six Berkshire Unitary Authorities and had three major elements:

·                     A coordinated Employment and Skills Gateway for 16-24 year olds which would halve youth unemployment in three years.

·                     A Business Growth Hub.

·                     The Development of new techniques for engaging young people and businesses

The report set out:

·                     A diagram showing the Thames Valley Berkshire Employment and Skills Gateway.

·                     Details of the six local authority projects (spokes) and LEP (hub) projects.

·                     The draft funding proposals for the spoke and hub elements.

The Joint Committee noted that the design of the main programme of City Deal activities would:

1          Redesign and simplify the “customer journey” in the interests of young people and employers.

2          Reduce overlaps and duplications by encouraging co-location of services to young people and businesses.

3          Where possible, reduce overheads by pooling budgets, sharing line management and unifying information systems.

4          Introduce ElevateMe – a universal website to provide coordinated signposting, access to services and a personal planning tool.

5          Provide a coordinated Labour Market Intelligence service bringing more timely information and better analysis.

In addition to these main activities, the City Deal would also:

·                     Support and develop the Business Growth Hub, operated by Vital Six1, as a resource for high growth companies.

·                     Work with the Behavioural Insights Team (Cabinet Office) to research and evaluate effective ways of working with 16-24 year old NEETs and businesses.

·                     Develop a project aimed at encouraging 16-24 year old lone parents into positive destinations.

·                     Provide a professional development network to improve the levels and effectiveness of support and continuing professional development for IAG staff.

Amongst the main points made in response to issues raised during the ensuing discussion were that:

·                     At the heart of the proposals was a wish to see schools and colleges delivering young people with the skills actually required by businesses.

·                     Cabinet Office funding was based on the authorities’ best endeavours to deliver the proposed targets and was not refundable, but EU funding was provided on a payment by results basis and therefore the Cabinet Office funding was key to work in the first two years, whilst the EU funding would kick in as progress was made, the first payments being expected in January/February 2014.

·                     A number of authorities had fully developed their proposals and had identified targets to be delivered whilst others were still refining their projects and scoping the projects based on intended outcomes which would be developed into formal targets by 30 June 2014.

·                     The funding was to be released immediately regardless of whether targets had been finalised.

·                     The failure of one authority to achieve its targets was not expected to impact on the others but there was an expectation that the officer steering group would seek to ensure that all delivered their intended targets.

·                     The LEP was in the process of recruiting an Economic Data Analyst who would have a key role to play in the delivery of the City Deal targets.

·                     Reading Borough Council had recruited a City Deal Project Manager to co-ordinate the work.

RESOLVED that:

1          That the outline budget for the Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal as set out in Appendix 3 of the report be approved.

2          That authority be delegated to Zoe Hanim, Head of Customer Services and lead officer for City Deal in consultation with the Head of Finance at Reading Borough Council as the accountable body, to implement the transfer of funds summarised in Appendix 3 of the report to the local authorities and the Local Enterprise Partnership for the first year subject to them being satisfied that the projects concerned were fully developed and ready to be implemented.