Issue - items at meetings - Update on City Employment Initiatives

Report of the Director of Housing Culture and Enterprise (copy attached).

Contact Officer: Joe Davenport            Tel: 29-3930

Wards Affected:All

(1) For the Cabinet Member to note the work of the City Employment Initiatives team particularly in terms of reducing youth unemployment and supporting the needs of disadvantaged communities in the city.

11.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Housing, Culture and Enterprise which highlighted the key elements of the this work and set out the outlined the lead the council  was taking  in  tackling  unemployment and creating a diverse workforce that reflected the community which it served. It was noted that a separate report would be submitted to full Cabinet in July.

11.2    Councillor Davis referred to the INTERREG bid for £1 m which was currently being written and in which the team was the lead partner. She considered that this fitted into the digital arts media base that had become established in the city. In view of the constraints on public finance the need to source external funds for programme delivery would become increasingly important.

11.3    Councillor Kennedy sought clarification as to when currently secured funding would cease and was informed that this was in place until March 2011 and that the final payment would be made in September 2011. In answer to further questions the Head of the Arts and Creative Industries Unit explained the structures that were in place to ensure that eligible young people were provided (by Job Centre Plus in concert with other partners) with all relevant information in order to enable them to make advised choices.

11.4    RESOLVED - That the Cabinet Member to notes the work of the City Employment Initiatives team particularly in terms of reducing youth unemployment and supporting the needs of disadvantaged communities in the city.