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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.

“People’s prospects for better employment post-pandemic could have been far improved if councils and devolved authorities had been able to take the lead, using their local knowledge, connections and expertise."

“Encouraging the estimated three million ‘hidden unemployed’ back into work or training, as highlighted in this report, will only be achieved if local leaders across our towns and cities are at the forefront of the response."

“Every area has its own unique labour market. Councils want to unlock this potential talent, using their unrivalled local insight to bring employers, training providers and jobseekers together with their proven track record in delivering more for less."

Chantelle Holt from North Norfolk District Council has been named as the 2022 Local Government Apprentice of the Year.

“The Government’s ‘one size fits all’ national approach to employment and skills is no longer fit for purpose. Councils and combined authorities – who know their communities best – want to be front and centre in ensuring everyone has the chance to learn new skills and find work, in good jobs needed by local businesses, in the places where they live.” 

“Everyone should have the chance to find work or a chance to retrain, no matter where they live, particularly as we continue our recovery from the pandemic."

“Councils are ideally placed to help achieve this, bringing together government, agencies and providers alongside their local leadership and expert knowledge of their areas, as we identified in our Work Local programme."

“At a time when the Government is rightly discussing devolving powers to local areas as part of the Levelling Up White Paper, it is crucial that this is not undermined by sidelining the expertise of local government in the delivery of skills and employment support."

“To ensure employment and skills programmes are as effective as they can be in future, councils and combined authorities should be placed at the heart of delivering a coherent and local offer building on their proven track record of delivering similar services and support.”