Issue - meetings

That the report be noted.

The Enterprise & Regeneration Manager introduced the report and provided background to the Committee on when the Communities First programme had been established in 2001 to tackle poverty.  In February 2017 the Welsh Government (WG) announced the phasing out of the programme on 31 March 2018.  The ‘Communities 4 Work’ employment programme would not be affected and would continue until March 2020.

            The WG would be operating two new programmes from 1 April 2018 onwards:-

·         The Legacy Fund, would offer small scale funding to Local Delivery Bodies to enable them to continue to deliver effective Communities First activities, for a further two years.

·         The second programme, the Employability programme, would provide Local Delivery Bodies with the management infrastructure for the Communities 4 Work programme.

            The Enterprise & Regeneration Manager reported the role of the offices in Flint, Holywell, Mold and Deeside was to get people into work and that there had been significant delivery and focus in Flintshire with support and training provided.   The LIFT Mentoring Programme which was attached to Communities First and was funded until 31 March 2018.  The Legacy Fund would deliver some options.

He outlined the  proposals in the employability work stream within the North Wales Deal programme which were designed to get more people in poverty in work:-

·         North Wales Employment Escalator

·         The Skills Bank

·         Enhanced Careers and Guidance Programme

·         Work Place Bursaries Programme and

·         Apprenticeships and work placements

            Councillor Derek Butler, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, referred to the report and specifically all of the initiatives that had been delivered and the range of recruitment schemes that had enabled people to gain employment.  He felt that the report overall highlighted the good working relationship the Council had with local businesses.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.