Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Gilderdale, Charlotte Horobin and from Cllr Wakeford who was substituted by Cllr Pitt.

At this point Members must declare whether they have a disclosable pecuniary interest, or other interest, in any of the items on the agenda, unless it is already entered in the register of members’ interests.

There were no declaration of interests.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2024 and to note the action log.

The minutes of the meeting on 17 June 2024 were approved as an accurate record.

The Action Log was noted by the Committee.

One public question had been received. The question was submitted by Mr Anthony Carpen and was circulated to Members and published on the website here: Skills and Employment Committee - Monday, 29th July, 2024

Mr Carpen was unable to attend the meting in person, so the question was read out by the Governance Manager.

The Chair gave the following response:

“The terms of reference for this first phase work by Grant Thornton were quite closely focussed and did not allow them to look at issues such as transport or government policies over 40 years. It is part of the recommendations for the report that the second phase of the Grant Thronton work will broaden the remit, however I suspect that while transport issues may be included in some ways, and changes to Government policy will also be key, it is unlikely that the next phase will include reviews of policy to the extent suggested in the question.”

To note the Combined Authority’s Forward Plan for July 2024.

It was resolved to:

A       Approve/note the Forward Plan for July.

To receive a report on the Phase One Feasibility Study from Grant Thornton.

RESOLVED: (Unanimous)

The Skills and Employment Committee resolved to:

A.    Note Grant Thornton’s independent Feasibility Report and accompanying papers, into FE Cold-Spots in East Cambridgeshire and St Neots

B.    Recommend that the Combined Authority Board accepts the proposal to create an Investment and Implementation Plan including a call for skills capital projects, with investment into skills capital in existing FE providers around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough funded from the remaining FE coldspots budget (set out in paragraph 5.1).

C.    Recommend that the Combined Authority delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Skills and Employment to develop the criteria within the proposed Investment and Implementation Plan.

D.    To note that a progress report will be brought to a future Skills and Employment Committee.

Rob Turner and Melissa Wickham from Grant Thornton gave a presentation (appended to the minutes) to introduce this item.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    There had been a notable shift towards higher skill requirements in jobs, with an expected increase in higher qualification needs.

b)    Participation rates in further education were relatively low compared to other regions, indicating a need for increased capacity.

c)     Providers had expressed concerns about the potential impact of expanding provision on the viability of their existing services. These concerns included the ability to manage increased student numbers and the challenge of recruiting staff in areas with existing shortages.

d)    The options presented were not mutually exclusive and the evidence base was intended to support decision-making

e)    Analysis indicated that the learner numbers may not support the financial feasibility of new flagship facilities in the near term.

f)      Multiple smaller sites could be viable, particularly with improved participation and transport infrastructure.

g)    Expanding current facilities could be financially more viable compared to building new ones.

h)    Concerns were raised about the alignment of local business needs with the educational strategies proposed in the report.

i)      A member expressed concerns about discrepancies in educational outcomes between different regions and questioned the efforts to address these disparities.

j)      Further meetings would be scheduled to review progress, finalise detailed plans, and ensure alignment with the broader strategic objectives of the CPCA.

k)     A question was raised about whether the next phase involved establishing new satellite buildings from existing providers in cold spots or investing in current providers within the region. The consensus was that the approach would depend on a detailed assessment of options. All potential solutions, including expanding existing providers and exploring new satellite locations, would be evaluated.

l)      Although starting earlier would have been ideal the Chair acknowledged the work that had been completed thus far and felt that it provided a solid foundation for the next steps. The complexity of the topic, including the diversity of provider engagement and the need to avoid assumptions, was highlighted.

m)   It was emphasised that no decisions had been finalised. The process involved moving to the next phase, which would include examining the feasibility of smaller provisions and expanding existing facilities. The need for a detailed evaluation of potential providers and the impact of different options remained a priority.

On being proposed by the Chair and seconded by Cllr Lay it was unanimously resolved to:

RESOLVED: (Unanimous)

The Skills and Employment Committee resolved to:

A.    Note Grant Thornton’s independent Feasibility Report and accompanying papers, into FE Cold-Spots in East Cambridgeshire and St Neots

B.    Recommend that the Combined Authority Board accepts the proposal to create an Investment and Implementation Plan including a call for skills capital projects, with investment into skills capital in existing FE providers around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough funded from the remaining FE coldspots budget (set out in paragraph 5.1).

C.    Recommend that the Combined Authority delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Skills and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To note the implementation plan for the Good Work Charter.

Laura Guymer, Strategic Careers Lead, gave a presentation (appended to the minutes) which provided Members of the Skills and Employment Committee with an update on the CPCA’s proposed Good Work Charter.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    Members felt that the Charter could help improve staff retention and recruitment.

b)    The transformative potential of the Charter was emphasised as good work practices and environment was linked to better health and productivity.

c)     The findings of the South Cambridgeshire District Council’s trial of a four-day week should be explored for possible inclusion in the programme.

d)    It was suggested that practical resources should be offered to support small organisations to become better employers.

e)    A category-based approach to setting expectations was suggested in recognition of the fact that different organisations had different capacities with the focus being on continuous improvement.

f)      It was noted that there was an existing budget line within the overall budget for the implementation of the joint work and health strategy. However, the exact allocation for this program was still being defined. The budget was part of a larger £500k fund, which would be used to get the program off the ground.

RESOLVED:

The Skills and Employment Committee resolved to:

A.    Receive a progress update/ presentation on plans to launch a Good Work Charter in 2025.

B.    Note the collaborative work with partners to gather insights which are helping to inform co-creation.

C.    Note the strategic engagement to date and future intentions, with the opportunity to input and shape the Good Work Charter

To receive a verbal update on the Universal Support Programme.

Laura Guymer, Strategic Careers Lead, gave a presentation to Members (appended to the minutes) on the Universal Support Programme

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The Programme was introduced in the 2023 budget as part of a £3.5 billion package to address economic inactivity and aimed to support those furthest from the labour market, particularly individuals with long-term health conditions.

b)    The change in Government meant that further details were pending however the Programme’s focus on economic inactivity remained a priority.

c)     The data indicated significant variation in economic inactivity rates across districts, with higher rates in Peterborough and Fenland.

d)    Next steps for the programme involved refining the Programme’s details, engaging stakeholders and preparing for practical implementation.

e)    Officers would continue to work with local authorities and stakeholders to address regional needs.

f)      Members requested that the data on the socially and economically inactive be further analysed based on gender. This was to address the specific challenges that women, who often took time off for childcare, faced when re-entering the workforce after an extended period. Officers agreed to investigate this further and provide the additional data if available.

g)    It was noted that this new programme represented a significant opportunity and responsibility, as Government initiatives were increasingly directing combined authorities to assume greater responsibilities in this domain.

h)    Members acknowledged a need for additional training in order to ensure that the Committee was adequately prepared for forthcoming announcements and responsibilities and could effectively understand and manage the new work programs.

ACTION:

1.     Officers to investigate whether available data could be furthered analysed to distinguish between the socially and economically inactive based on gender.

To note the Committee’s work programme.

The Chair proposed the inclusion of a “Director’s Highlight Report” item, similar to those presented at the CA’s other thematic committees. This would allow for timely updates on emerging issues without requiring full agenda items or decisions. The proposal was approved by consensus.

It was resolved to:

A.      Note the Committee Agenda Plan.

ACTION:

The Governance Manger to include a “Director’s Highlight Report” as a standing item on all meeting agendas going forward.

Monday 9 September 2024.

The next meeting was scheduled for Monday 9 September 2024.