Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: The Thornton Room - Ground Floor, West Offices (G039). View directions

Contact: Angela Bielby  Democracy Officer

Items
No. Item

25.

Declarations of Interest

At this point in the meeting the Executive Member is asked to declare:

 

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

 

which he may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Minutes:

The Executive Member was asked to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that he might have in respect of the business on the agenda. None were declared.

 

26.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 57 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 2 May 2017.

Minutes:

Resolved:  That the minutes of the last Decision Session held on 7 February 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Executive Member.

 

27.

Public Participation

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak at the meeting can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 31 July 2017. Members of the public may register to speak on an item on the agenda or an issue within the Executive Member’s remit. To register please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting.

 

Filming or Recording Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast, or recorded, and that includes any registered public speakers who have given their permission. This broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, will be uploaded to the website following the meeting.

 

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

 

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme

 

28.

York Skills Plan 2017-2020 pdf icon PDF 150 KB

This report presents York’s Skills Plan 2017-2020, the city’s second All Age Skills Plan, which focuses on how we will work together with our partners over the next four years to contribute to two key priorities for the city as set out in the York Economic Strategy, 2016 – 2020 and City of York Council Plan 2015 – 2019.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved:  That, after consideration, the Executive Member approved the final draft of the York Skills Plan 2017-20 for publication.

 

Reason:     The plan has been consulted on with a wide range of partners across the city, who have informed the development of the plan. It is now ready to be widely shared and adopted.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Member considered a report on the York’s Skills Plan 2017-2020 which set out how the Council and it’s partners would work together over the next four years to contribute to two key priorities for the city as set out in the York Economic Strategy, 2016 – 2020 and City of York Council Plan 2015 - 2019:

·        Developing and Retaining Talent in York to support the growth of local businesses.

·        A Prosperous City for All - where local businesses can thrive, residents have the opportunity to get good quality and well paid jobs and everyone in York is supported to achieve their full potential, making sure ‘no-one’ is left behind. 

Officers explained that the final version of the York’s Skills Plan 2017-2020 had been updated following the close of the consultation period. They are advised that there were two subtle but significant changes to focus on the immediate skills gaps and shortages in specific sectors. These were:

·        The needs of the rail industry, as part of the construction and infrastructure sector

·        The Cultural Offer, as part of the hospitality and tourism sector.

 

Officers advised that the Executive Summary also highlighted IT and digital skills as a generic skills gap to support all sectors in York, as well as the need to address high level skills shortages to support the digital, software & technology sector in its own right.

 

In response to a question from the Executive Member regarding high value and low paid jobs and why only 4 sectors have been identified for immediate focus, Officers explained that whilst the skills needs and job opportunities of every employment sector in York were important, evidence highlighted the importance of addressing immediate skills gaps and vacancies of the sectors identified which accounted for circa 46% of employment in the city.

 

Officers also explained that sectors such as hospitality, care, rail and construction, which were often perceived as only offering low paid entry level jobs, offered opportunities to develop a variety of skills and career progression through to high value, well paid specialist and managerial jobs, for which there were shortages.

 

In regard to the Executive Member question concerning current recruitment challenges for high value IT and Technology businesses, Officers reported that the technical skills needed in that sector were not always well connected to the courses available in further and higher education. Furthermore, the pull of higher salaries in other cities, the need for candidates with transferable skills, a reducing number of IT courses available at pre 16 were all factors affecting recruitment in IT specific jobs. It was also highlighted that there was a skills gap in IT teaching in schools which would be included as a challenge to be addressed as part of the mapping of progression routes through to digital technology jobs.

 

The Executive Member asked whether there would be more sector specific careers fairs and skills interventions to raise awareness and drive take up of jobs in the sectors highlighted and others. Officers confirmed that in addition to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

29.

Urgent Business

Any other business which the Chair considers urgent under the Local Government Act 1972.

 

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