Given the right powers and resources over employment and skills funding for every place, councils could build on their track record of helping get people back into work.
Responding to the Government’s launch of a £165 million fund to improve local skills training and help get more people into jobs closer to home, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s People and Places Board, said:
“This funding will help boost chances for people to fulfil their potential by upskilling or retraining, including for current and future green jobs to meet our net zero ambitions.
“However, each area has its own unique labour market including a mix of jobs, qualification levels, unemployment and vacancies. This short-term, competitive fund will help, but people need joined up local support, including training and vocational careers advice to go into long-term, sustainable employment.
“We need to move away from a top-down, centralised approach. Given the right powers and resources over employment and skills funding for every place, councils could build on their track record of helping get people back into work – including those who are furthest from the jobs market – and plugging growing skills gaps.
“Using their unrivalled local insight, knowledge and proven record in delivering more for less, local leaders want to unlock this potential talent and get the best value for money from the billions currently spent on various national disjointed schemes.”