Agenda item

The Board received the draft Enterprise Commissioning Prospectus, which covered the Board’s Area Based Grant (ABG) allocation for 2009/19 and 2010/11.

The Board was reminded that at the previous meeting it had been agreed that an Enterprise Commissioning Prospectus should be developed in order to deliver partnership priorities and LAA outcomes. The Prospectus also set out the process by which people would apply for funding from the ABG.

As part of the assessment process a panel, consisting of members of the Board, would be convened to consider applications for funding.

In response to concern that the document did not make enough reference to early interventions in relation to literacy and innumeracy, or equipping people with ‘soft’ skills, the Board was advised that there were a number of initiatives that were being undertaken with schools in terms of early intervention. As part of the North London Pledge there were also workshops to support people who had recently entered employment. At present mentoring schemes were also being considered.

There was agreement that the documents should be amended to reflect the initiatives above.

It was noted that the Community and Voluntary Sector were often able to access funding streams that were not available generally and that this may beneficial to the partnership and this may be particularly relevant in terms of addressing the current economic climate. The Board was advised that there had been discussion with representatives from the Sector in relation to this and that this was being considered.

In response to a query the Board was advised the Compact Proofing tool developed by the Corporate Voluntary Sector team was in draft form at present. However, officers had been advised that it was fit for purpose and it had been applied to the Prospectus.

The Board discuss how new initiatives aimed at addressing the needs of people recently made unemployed may have an impact upon the long term unemployed. Concern was raised that people who had been unemployed on a long term basis may be further pushed out of the job market with the influx of ‘white collar’ workers who had been affected by the current economic down turn.

The Board was advised that eighty per cent of the measures aimed at helping people into employment were targeted at the long term unemployed and there was agreement that this should be highlighted in the Prospectus.

In response to concerns that the contingency fund, which had been established to fund initiatives to address issues arising from the current economic climate, the Board was advised that work was already being carried out to determine how this could be used most effectively.

The Chair noted concerns around the need to ensure that the Partnership responded to the recession promptly. However, as the information emerging at present suggested that areas of the Borough, which were usually considered to be more affluent were the most effected by changes to the economic climate, there was a need to weigh up how the Partnership should respond and direct its funding. It was envisaged that there may be a significant number of people who had no experience of accessing job centres or the benefits system that would need assistance. Obviously meeting this need would have to be balanced against continuing to support the long term unemployed.

In response to concerns, the Board was advised that representatives from Job Centre Plus (JCP), the Learning and Skills Council and the Local Authority had met to discuss the actions that each respective organisation was taking to meet the new needs emerging. This would ensure that there was no duplication and that combined resources were used as effectively as possible.

The Board was advised that North London Business was receiving feedback from local employers that suggested that businesses in the East of the Borough were now feeling the impact of the recession.

The Chair advised that a Haringey ‘Kite Mark’ was being established for local businesses to identify good practice in terms of taking on apprentices and volunteers. It was hoped that local businesses would see this as being an advantageous asset and encourage them to participate in schemes to get people into work via these routes.

The Board was advised that CONEL had undertaken ‘train to gain’ sessions to assist people who found themselves unemployed. Work was also being undertaken with the Learning and Skills Council and JCP to equip volunteers with new skills.

The Chair noted that the next Government spending review was likely to result in a significant reduction in the levels of funding available to Local Authorities and as such it was important that any projects under the Boards responsibility were sustainable. The Board noted that placements under the Haringey Guarantee cost approximately £2,000 and that this figure was low in comparison to other Boroughs.

In conclusion the Board was asked to contact officers if there were any areas that they considered required further discussion prior to the next meeting in March where the final documents would be presented for adoption.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.