Agenda item

To consider the oversight of Skills Board and it’s reporting mechanisms. The Skills Strategy Update, as presented to the Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning at his Decision Session on 27 April 2021 is attached for background information.

Members considered the oversight of Skills Board and its reporting mechanisms. The Skills Strategy Update, as presented to the Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning at his Decision Session on 27 April 2021 was attached for background information.

The Skills Manager explained that the frequency of the Skills Board meetings. She explained that the skills partnership had secured a consultant to help write the skills strategy, and build an evidence base, which included evidence from the LEPs. She added that work around government announcements was ongoing. She reported that the economic growth strategy consultation had begun and would run for the rest of the year.

The Chair of the Skills Board noted that the board was accountable to the city and employers and that that each partner on the board contributed to the strategy. He added that each board member had their own accounting mechanism back to their own institution. He then advised that as the government rolled out local areas having a local improvement plan, representative bodies would be expected to agree a plan for their area. The Executive Member Economy and Strategic Planning outlined the investment from the government that had come through the LEP, noting the digital training hub at Askham Bryan College as an example of this. In response to a question from the Chair he explained that employers were finding it hard to see into the longer term and the Board as trying to help employers articulate what their needs were now and in the future. He noted that cross cutting themes were seen in creative and digital employers and that the challenge was in the modes of skills acquisition.

A member asked about training and skills for green jobs. The Chair of the Skills Board noted the importance of identifying where skills were needed for green jobs and how this would be slotted into existing education. An example of this was adjusting plumbing courses to take account of future needs such as training for the installation of ground source heat pumps.

When asked about bringing a report back to a future committee meeting, the Chair of the Skills Board noted that York College’s accountability was discharged through its governing body. He added that the work of the skills partnership could reported back through the Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning and council officers. The Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning noted that regarding the 10 years skills plan, the intention was to present this through a joint scrutiny committee meeting involving the committee and the Children, Education and Communities Policy and Scrutiny

Committee. He advised that there was the opportunity to comment on the quarterly economic update at his Executive Member Decision Sessions and that the 10 year strategy would be presented to the Executive in autumn.

A Member suggested that it would be useful to have frequent report on the one year skills plan at future meetings. The Chair suggested that this could be examined as part of the pre decision scrutiny meeting prior to the Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning Decision Sessions.

Resolved: That the update on the oversight of Skills Board and its reporting mechanisms be noted.

Reason:     In order to be kept up to date on the work of the Skills Board.

[The external attendees and Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning were thanked for attending and left the meeting at 19:05]

The meeting adjourned from 19:06 until 19:15