Agenda and minutes

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no formal late items of business to consider. However the Chair agreed to accept the following items as supplementary information:

-  Draft terms of reference – inquiry into cultural organisations’ engagement with communities (agenda item 8) (Minute 56 refers)

-  Executive Board minutes of 6 November 2013 (agenda item 9) (Minute  57 refers)

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared at the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ingham, with Councillor Jarosz in attendance as a substitute, and Councillor Khan, with Councillor Hardy in attendance as a substitute.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2013

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

To consider evidence as the first session of the Board’s inquiry on apprenticeships

The Board considered a report of the Chief Officer Employment and Skills, as evidence for the first session of its inquiry into apprenticeships in Leeds. In attendance to address the Board and answer Members’ queries were:

-  Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Executive Member for Leisure and Skills

-  Sue Wynne, Chief Officer, Employment and Skills

-  Gary Milner, Lead Officer, Skills for Learning and Life

-  Nick Hart, Apprenticeship Hub Coordinator

Sue Wynne introduced the report, talking the Board through the learner and employer pathways for apprenticeship, and highlighting the key stakeholders and influences in promoting apprenticeship as a positive choice.

The following issues were highlighted in introducing the report:

·  An apprenticeship is a job with a learning framework attached

·  Apprenticeship is the government’s key workforce development tool

·  A new national pre-apprenticeship Traineeship programme is currently being piloted

·  A mapping exercise of Leeds pre-apprenticeship opportunities is being undertaken for the next session of the inquiry in January

·  The role of the council in supporting both young people and employers to access apprenticeships, including the roles of the Apprenticeship Training Agency and the Apprenticeship Hub.

·  The number of 16-18 year olds starting apprenticeships has fallen, both locally and nationally

·  The role of information, advice and guidance services

·  Parental perception of apprenticeships

·  The Executive Member stressed the priority to address the challenge to increase the number of apprentices and apprenticeships, through bringing together the players across a fragmented landscape and making it easier to access for young people and employers

The following issues were raised in discussion:

·  Concern that the level of qualifications required in order to get onto some apprenticeships was inappropriately high and the lack of alternative entry level opportunities for young people

·  The need to target support to young people to get them up to a level where they can successfully apply for an apprenticeship

·  Support for activities to promote apprenticeships in localities

·  The Work at Leeds programme

·  The success of the devolved youth contract scheme in Leeds

·  Work being undertaken by the Apprenticeship Hub to train young people in writing a good CV and application

·  Other social rather than academic barriers that can prevent young people accessing an apprenticeship, for example housing issues

·  Leeds City Council’s use of apprenticeships and the retention rate for apprentices who have completed their training

·  The support offered to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) through the Apprenticeship Training Agency

·  The training subsidy provided by the government for those under 25 undertaking apprenticeships

·  The impact of Raising the Participation Age, the introduction of vocational pathways at age 14 and the development of University Technical Colleges

·  The importance of using methods of communication that will appeal to young people, and make accessing apprenticeships both more attractive and straightforward

·  The potential consideration of some sort of local ‘branding’

·  The importance of getting the message about apprenticeships across to parents as a major influence on young people’s choices

·  The national competition from learning providers for the learning element of the apprenticeship

·  The need to encourage more opportunities  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

To consider the draft terms of reference for the Board’s inquiry into cultural organisations’ engagement with communities

The Board considered draft terms of reference for an inquiry into cultural organisations’ engagement with communities.

RESOLVED – That the terms of reference be agreed.

To confirm the Board’s work schedule for the remainder of the year

The Board received a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which set out the latest version of the Board’s work schedule.

The Board discussed the joint working with Children and Families Scrutiny Board in relation to the youth offer and it was agreed to ensure that all Board members received a copy of the relevant reports.

The Board welcomed the Executive Board’s decision not to introduce charges for residents’ parking permit schemes. Members asked the Principal Scrutiny Adviser to confirm with the department that consultation would take place before any existing schemes were considered for removal.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the work schedule be agreed.

b)  That a member of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Board be invited to join this Board when the Community Infrastructure Levy is considered in future.

c)  That the Executive Board minutes be noted

(Councillors Wadsworth and Hardy left the meeting at 11.50 during the discussion of this item.)

Tuesday 17 December 2013 at 10.00am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30am)

Tuesday 17 December at 10.00am (a pre-meeting will start at 9.30am for Board members.)

(The meeting finished at 12.00)