Local government is to be given nearly £300 million to develop new ways of tackling unemployment and inactivity, as part of the Get Britain Working White Paper.
Initiatives include place-based ‘trailblazers’ that will trial new approaches to developing the ‘youth guarantee’, guaranteeing education or training for all young people to help them find a job, and to joining up work, health and skills systems to reduce economic inactivity because of ill-health.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of the LGA’s City Regions Board, said: “The adoption by the Government of a place-based approach is positive and something the LGA has long called for through our Work Local proposals.
“This signals a commitment from government to work with all of local government, from mayors to councils, in delivering new approaches that work best for their areas.”
Cllr Martin Tett, Chairman of the LGA’s People & Places Board, said: “Councils want to do more to address recruitment challenges, across all sectors, that affect their places, including through using a far more flexible new growth and skills levy.
“We look forward to further details from the Government, and to working with it to plan how these changes will work in practice.”