Issue - meetings

The Board received a report on the Future Jobs Fund, a recently announced Government initiative to create 150,000 employment opportunities between October 2009 and March 2011 across the country for the long-term unemployed. The scheme was for 18-24 year olds and those in unemployment hotspots and was originally for those who had been out of work for 12 months, but this had now been reduced to 10 months. The jobs created would be for at least 25 hours per week, for a period of at least six months. In partnership with local stakeholders at least 155 jobs had been identified to date, it was hoped that this would increase to 200. Pay would be based on the London Living Wage, as opposed to the National Minimum Wage. The aim was that some of these jobs would lead to the creation of permanent posts. It was anticipated that a bid would be ready for submission to the DWP in October 2009, and that this would lead to the creation of the first new jobs in January 2010.

The Board asked about the management costs of this initiative, and it was reported that this was being looked at with HR, and that it was hoped that the management resources could be shared with some existing Council programmes.

RESOLVED

·                    That the report be noted.

·                    That members of the Board consider opportunities for creating jobs in their organisations.