Agenda item

Michele Lawty-Jones updated the Committee on activity involving the Lancashire Skills Hub since the last meeting and highlighted the following:

·  The final draft of the Lancashire Skills and Employment Strategic Framework had been endorsed and approved for consultation by the LEP Board on the 6^th October 2015.  The consultation would involve a number of approaches including meetings with the Chief Executives of City/District Councils and the Unitary Authorities and two consultation events for providers/the third sector/partners and employers. Following the consultation the final document would be published on the LEP website in November.

·  An information event had been held in September for the second round of Growth Deal Skills Capital Funding and the deadline for expressions of interest was early November. It was reported that providers who had attended the event had also been asked to feed through ideas for projects from 2017/18, in order that a pipeline of feasible future projects could be established for any future Growth Deal calls from the government post Comprehensive Spending Review. The Committee noted that recommendations regarding EOIs and projects which should go forward to full business case would be presented to the next meeting.

·  It was reported that a response to the consultation in regard to the Apprenticeship Levy had been submitted on behalf of the Committee by the deadline. The response had included enthusiasm from the LEP to pilot approaches in Lancashire with larger employers and supply chains, with particular reference to Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing.

·  Discussions are still underway regarding output allocations for ESIFand the impact of the exchange rate on the funds available for activity. The potential impact of the Government Comprehensive Spending Review and Devolution agenda in relation to the SFA opt in model was also discussed. It was noted that a review of the ESIF pipeline projects had been undertaken to identify suitable schemes for further development and a detailed up-date would be presented to the next meeting.

·  The Committee was informed of the winners of the Liverpool, Cumbria and Lancashire Apprenticeship regional Awards together with details of local individuals who had been highly commended. It was suggested that an article which featured in the Lancashire Business Review weekly roundup regarding the awards be circulated to members of the Committee for information.

·  With regard to Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance it was reported that whilst there was positive activity in Lancashire it was considered to be fragmented and lacking in co-ordination and a mapping exercise of activity was underway and would be presented to a future meeting. Cat Settle referred to the role of the apprenticeship ambassadors and suggested that this should be included in the mapping exercise

Resolved:

1.  That the updates set out in the report are noted. 

2.  That specific reports are presented to the next meeting in relation to:

a)  recommendations regarding EOIs and projects which should go forward to full business case for Growth Deal Skills Capital Funding.

b)  an update in relation to ESF and ESIF funding.

3.  That an article regarding the winners of the Liverpool, Cumbria and Lancashire Apprenticeship Regional Awards, together with details of local individuals who had been highly commended be circulated to members of the Committee for information.

4.  That a detailed report in relation to Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance provision across Lancashire is presented to a future meeting.