Agenda item

5.1  The chair welcomed Councillor Ian Wingfield; Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Employment & Business, for his annual interview. Members of the committee chose  six themes to structure the interview around:

  I.  Employment and apprenticeships opportunities for young people in Southwark

•  How are apprenticeships procured?

•  The evolution of the Apprenticeships quality standard and what else can we expect for workplace learning.

•  How do people with SEND fit into the new apprenticeship scheme and how are the new EHC plans linking in with the scheme, especially supported apprenticeships and traineeships.

  II.  Quality of Careers advice

•  What is the current quality of careers advice?

•  How are the links between education and employment made – how joined up are we? What are the gaps?

  III.  Zero Hours Contacts &London Living Wage in Southwark

•  How can we ensure that nobody employed,  either directly or indirectly,  by the Borough is on a zero hours contract and that all employees are paid the London Living Wage? Including those employed in maintained schools, colleges and educational institutions, social services etc.

  IV.  Encouraging, supporting and funding initiatives that encourage interfaith dialogue and harmony

  V.  Herne Hill and the impact of flooding

•  What is Southwark proposing to do to ensure Thames Water contribute a fairer amount to the severely damaged Herne Hill area than the current offer of £100,000?

•  Can the council help to prevent further closures of shops in Herne Hill due to the damage done by the Thames Water floods as in the last few months 2 traders have closed with one still not re-opened with the loss of a considerable number of jobs?

  VI.  Sustainable development

•  What is the Council’s policy to ensure that landlords understand the value and long term benefits of a balanced and mixed business economy in the high street and not to let their premises be used for unsuitable business uses, such as betting shops, excessive numbers of estate agents or national chains?

•  Will the council ensure that landlords that do not operate in the long term interests of the local community do not in any way benefit from public money or council procurement?

•  How will local neighbourhood plans and policies tackle town centre renewal and regeneration in a sustainable way?

•  What funding is available for businesses on the whole to help generate jobs and growth?

5.2  The Cabinet member was asked about the first theme and in particular Lewisham Southwark Colleges under-performance, and delivery of the council’s commitment to deliver 2000 apprenticeships. He responded that not everybody will follow an academic route so the council do need to be proactive on apprenticeships and vocational courses. The council need to be prepared to be more proactive in promoting vocational courses and apprenticeships to local 6th forms and also encouraging links between business and colleges.

5.3  He explained that 200 apprenticeships have been created so far, 1/10 of the target. Southwark Works is the council principal delivery agent. He went to one event and met an autistic young man who was enabled to find a job as a tour guide as he was able to give chapter and verse on a cathedral history - which demonstrates there is a place for everyone somewhere. He also recently went to the Tate for an awards ceremony and heard about the successes including the council’s role supported apprenticeship. The council has secured additional money to develop this programme with shared services. He explained that the council also have excellent relationships with business, who are taking on apprentices through their corporate responsibilities.

5.4  A member of the committee commented that the apprenticeships Quality Standard is very important and asked if the council will take an evolutionary approach to raising standards? The cabinet member assured him that the council would. He commented that the council set up the Apprenticeship Quality Standard because feedback was so variable, with the quality being described as good in some cases and deplorable in others - with people making the tea. He explained that the Apprenticeship Quality Standards include paying the London Living Wage, a contact of 12 months, delivery with a fully accredited training provider and access to learning mentors. He said we have a vibrant construction industry and the council want people to make the most of this, and the range of opportunity available.  The council need to celebrate those who have met the standard and also encourage other employers to raise their game.

5.5  A member commented that she was encouraged that young disabled people can access apprenticeships at Southwark, but asked about pre- apprenticeships and traineeships. The cabinet member said that the council is supporting the development of these. She then went on to ask about provision for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  He explained that the council require that employers provider the right support and when making placement. Danny Edwards, Strategy & Partnerships Manager (Local Economy), explained that there is a SEED programme that provides additional funding for people with SEND or who are disadvantaged.

5.6  A member asked about the current quality of careers advice. The cabinet lead responded that he is not the absolute expert on this as lead responsibility for careers advice lies with the Children's cabinet lead,  however, he reported, the feedback  get he gets is that advice is variable. He added that Southwark Business Alliance is very pro active, and most schools are willing to work in partnership, but others are less so which is puzzling. He said the council do have a duty to ensure that young people do gain the right skills. This is linked to the guarantee that each young people will get a job, apprenticeship, traineeship or access further education, and the council do work in partnership with employees and schools to deliver this.

5.7  A member asked how linked up the council was with local business and he explained that he does still come across businesses that are not aware of the councils apprenticeship programme and work with he local economy. The council are setting up forums to involve business, including the major providers. He added that some businesses are saying that careers advice should start in primary school. He said that at a recent meeting with a Spanish business, he was struck that Southwark are a beacon, particularly for diversity. The borough has over 200 languages spoken. About 50 % do not have English as a first language, so there is also an advantage that of extra languages

5.8  The deputy leader was then asked about the Living Wage. He said that the Southwark is a Living Wage council and we encourage our contractors otherwise they do not get the work. He added that council representatives are also promoting this in various forums so the council are very much at the forefront on this.

5.9  He was then asked about sustainable development and remarked that this is very much left to the market. He took the Mayor of London on a tour to Peckham and someone asked about the saturation of bookmakers. Formally the council has little power on this; however we do now have a planning policy whereby the council have set a saturation limit of 5%. The council also have some legal redress about change of use.

5.10  He added that affordable housing is again market led, and there is some housing deemed affordable but is actually beyond my reach. He said it is also unfortunate that developers land bank and do not develop, sometimes going through rounds of applications but not taking any forward.

5.11  The deputy leader was asked to comment on FGM and work done with the faith communities. He said that his deputy Cllr Mohammad has been very proactive in going out into faith communities. He added that the council recently held an open day and launched a faith covenant which was about working in partnership, as there is a range of community initiatives on youth and pastoral work and the council want to ensue that services are linked up. There was also a recent Peace breakfast that brings the faith community together.  The chair commented that FGM was the committees work programme and will be returned to next year.