Agenda item
SCRUTINY SPOTLIGHT: LEAD MEMBER
The Lead Member for Employment and Skills will attend to report on his portfolio.
Minutes:
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Lead Member for Employment and Skills, gave a presentation on the key issues, opportunities and challenges arising from his portfolio. Councillor Choudhury informed the Committee that his was a challenging portfolio as many complex and interrelated factors were at play in relation to worklessness and the skills deficit. Only 54% of the adult working-age population were actually in work and the number of 16 to 24 year olds not in employment, education or training (NEET) in Tower Hamlets was double the London average. The unemployment rate in the borough had remained high for the past 15 years. However the problem was not a shortage of jobs in the borough, rather a substantial skills shortage resulting in local people not being able to access the jobs that were available. Generational worklessness was also a factor.
It would be crucial to make the most of investment opportunities in the City Fringe and Docklands and to address the wider range of interrelated social issues including housing and health. Opportunities were also presented by cross-directorate co-operation and collaboration with other and agencies.
Against this context, Councillor Choudhury outlined a range of strategies and initiatives through which the authority was seeking to tackle the problems outlined, highlighting areas of particular success. Councillor Choudhury then described what he saw as the way forward and short-, medium- and long- term objectives to exploit the opportunities available. He thanked the Committee for their support and stated that he would require the support of colleagues in progressing this area of work.
The Chair thanked Councillor Choudhury for his presentation and invited questions from Members of the Committee.
Councillor A A Sardar enquired as to timescales to deliver the objectives outlined. Cllr Choudhury referred to the short-, medium- and long-term objectives outlined in his presentation and stated that these represented periods of 6, 12 and 36+ months respectively.
Councillor Ann Jackson asked what Councillor Choudhury intended to do differently from previous years. Councillor Choudhury stated that he intended to work closely at grass roots level; to seek to improve the range of jobs accessible to local people; and to focus on the opportunities presented by section 106 funds to improve training and access to jobs. He would seek to involve the third sector and foster a co-ordinated approach focussing on outcomes and sustainable provision.
Councillor Shiria Khatun asked how the opportunities available in developments such as Canary Wharf could be opened up to local people. She also referred to the training opportunities presented by the hospitality trade centred on Brick Lane; and to the provision that existed currently to assist young people in the transition from education to employment. Finally Councillor Khatun asked the Lead Member for his assessment of the current utilisation of the Local Labour in Construction (LLIC) service and the developing community hubs.
Councillor Choudhury stated that he did not have full statistics to hand but the community hubs were providing services in line with the borough plans. LLIC was fairly well used and had contractual links with most training agencies but was not the only provider. He agreed that there was a key need to support young people in the transition to the world of work and to maximise the corporate social responsibility of local employers. The Cultural Olympiad presented an opportunity to link the west and east of the borough through the High Street 2012 initiative.
Paul Evans, Interim Corporate Director, Development and Renewal, added that provision for 14-19 year olds should benefit from the increasing emphasis now being given by Government to Local Authorities taking a lead in this area, which would enable the work to be sharper, more focussed and effective.
Councillor Eaton drew Councillor Choudhury’s attention to the Scrutiny Review on Graduate Unemployment previously undertaken. She also expressed disappointment at the quality of many of the jobs available through Skillsmatch; suggested that the Council could look at provision to support employers in enabling people with disabilities to enter work; and raised the importance promoting the rights of employees in industries such as construction and hospitality. Finally, Councillor Eaton raised the issue of conversion of qualifications which could be difficult or expensive especially for many people coming to this country from eastern Europe.
Councillor Choudhury thanked Councillor Eaton for her suggestions. He endorsed her comments regarding the importance of employment rights and protection and stated that he would be working with the trade unions in this regard. In relation to the conversion of qualifications Councillor Choudhury was aware of this issue and the lost opportunities resulting and would be looking at ways of addressing this.
Councillor Shahed Ali referred to the longer term objective to open a flagship recruitment, training and enterprise centre in the heart of docklands. He asked how the Council could ensure this was more successful than previous such initiatives for example by the LDDC in the 1980s. Councillor Ali also asked (i) whether schools could do more to prepare students for employment by revising subjects such as woodwork, cookery and car mechanics; (ii) how many people had moved into full-time employment through LLIC; and (iii) how the Council could best ensure that as many local people as possible gain employment on the preparations for the 2012 Olympics.
Councillor Choudhury stated that he would be reviewing the statistics on the effectiveness of training providers including LLIC but his initial impression was encouraging. In relation to young people leaving school he would be looking at how effective the careers guidance service was and he would take into account the points raised by Cllr Ali.
In relation to the flagship project planned for Heron Quays, the Interim Corporate Director, Development and Renewal, stated that in his view the larger employers and agencies involved were now far more positive and clearer on the economic benefits of engagement with the local community and he was therefore more confident that the Council’s proposals would be positively received.
Councillor Bill Turner suggested that particular attention needed to be paid to the quality of employment opportunities and awareness of the rights of employees within certain industries and/or groups of employees. He also felt there should be further work on the training and employment profile of people with learning difficulties, who were often in low paid or menial roles which may not offer genuine training or work experience opportunities. Finally Councillor Turner referred to the possible adverse effects on local businesses and communities of Home Office changes to visa regulations for skilled persons.
Councillor Ann Jackson expressed concern that as well as seeking to equip local people to get jobs, attention should also be paid to encouraging employers to see the benefits of employing more local people and especially recruiting them from school/college and providing opportunities for training and development within the organisation.
The Chair asked about what work to look at levels of worklessness amongst women in the borough which was particularly high in some local communities. Councillor Choudhury confirmed that that work was underway to analyse the demographic information. It was true that there was a high level of worklessness amongst Bangladehi women in particular. Once the analysis was complete a draft strategy was being prepared to address this issue.
The Chair thanked Councillor Choudhury for his presentation and for answering the questions of members.