Decision details

Skills Connect and Priority Skills Fund

Decision Maker: Chief Executive, West of England Combined Authority

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

 

 The employment and skills system is too complex and difficult to navigate. There are over 250 programmes currently available in the West of England each with their own area of focus and eligibility criteria. This programme contains two inter-related elements which will strengthen the employment and skills system raise its visibility and simplify access to it.

 

Decision:

 

 Option 3 as set out in the Full Business Case was approved by the Councils Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) on 9 November 2022. With the award of £3m from the recovery fund (£2m for Skills Connect and £1m for the Priority Skills Fund, also incorporating £1.1 million of DSIP underspend). Delegation of this funding to the West of England Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the other Chief Executive’s was agreed the Combined Authority Committee on 8 April 2022.

 

Reasons for the decision:

 

 The employment and skills system is too complex and difficult to navigate. There are over 250 programmes currently available in the West of England each with their own area of focus and eligibility criteria. This programme contains two inter-related elements which will strengthen the employment and skills system raise its visibility and simplify access to it.

 

Alternative options considered:

 

Option 1 - Business as usual: maintaining the status quo with funding being directed to maintain Council delivery

Option 2 - Strengthen the hub and reduce the spokes

Option 3 - Hub and spokes model strengthened.

 

Publication date: 09/01/2023

Date of decision: 09/11/2022

Accompanying Documents: