To comment on the Cabinet report.

Councillor Jack Rankin, Lead Member for Economic Development and Property, introduced the report regarding the Council’s and the Borough’s offer regarding apprenticeships.

Cllr Rankin informed the Panel that the government had proposed to change the way it funded apprenticeship training and set targets for the number of apprenticeships employed by public sector bodies.  An Apprenticeship Levy had been introduced and a new national apprenticeships target was being set; RBWM would have a target of 33 apprenticeships being introduced.

The Panel were informed that the Council’s apprenticeship scheme was funded by a revenue budget of £40,000 to employ six apprenticeships posts annually. Since 2013 85% of apprentices who completed an apprenticeship had progressed to full time employment within the Council or externally.  This annual target had been increased to 18 starters for this year with a target of 33 by April 2018.

To help meet the stretched target Cllr Rankin informed the Panel that Community Partnerships and the HR teams would continue to work with Council Services to review vacancies prior to recruitment to asses if they could be filled by an apprentice.

Cllr Rankin also informed that from 1 May 2017 the government proposes to set annual targets for public sector organisations having 250 or more employees which required a minimum of 2.3% of the head count to be apprentices. 

With regards to private organisations the Borough could not force them to increase apprenticeships, however we could be a conduit to help them improve their offer.  On 17  March 2017 the Borough would be holding an apprenticeship day and Panel Members were welcome to attend.  

(Cllr Jones and Cllr Dr L Evans joined the meeting)

 The Chairman asked how many apprenticeships the Council had three years ago and was informed that it was about 6 per year.

Cllr Bowden mentioned that our sub-contractors were to be encouraged to take on apprenticeships and asked if the Council could offer driving lessons or specialist driver training.  The Panel were informed that the Government had changed the apprenticeship framework that were developed by employers and there were a lot of incentives available.

Cllr Quick said that section 2.8 of the report mentioned a joint venture being undertaken to create 62 new apprenticeships and asked fi these would be in the construction industry.   Cllr Rankin replied that this would be the case if the joint venture was approved by Council.

Cllr Jones mentioned that the schools minister had indicated that in most cases the LEA would be responsible for paying the new levy especially if small school could not take on apprenticeships.  Cllr Rankin replied that the levy would be taken from payroll and Cllr N Airey and the Managing Director would need to discuss the implications with schools on an individual basis. Cllr Jones suggested that the £15k given to offset the levy could be used to help the impact on smaller schools.

Resolved unanimously: that the Corporate Services O&S Panel considered the Cabinet report and fully endorsed the recommendations.  The Panel request that Cabinet review the implications of the Apprenticeship Levy being charged to small maintained schools especially the adverse impact on their budget.