Issue - meetings

Purpose of the report: To seek Community, Environment and Highways Select Committee’s comments on the Skills Plan for Surrey in advance of Cabinet considering it at their meeting on 25 October 2022.

Witnesses:

Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth

Michael Coughlin, Executive Director of Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth

Jack Kennedy, Head of Economy and Growth

The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth summarised the role of skills development in securing economic and inclusion outcomes, aligning with Surrey County Council’s (SCC) strategic focus on ‘Growing a sustainable economy from which everyone can benefit’ and underlying principle of ‘no-one left behind’.

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. The Chairman asked how the success of this ambitious agenda would be assessed and would there be the capacity to amend the strategy if required. The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth confirmed the Skills Plan, which would be shared with the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee, would include measures against each objective adding that the document would continually be updated to reflect changing skill requirements going forward. The Executive Director of Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth noted longer term difficulties, particularly where the Council was not the direct deliverer of programmes and noted three strategic aims over the longer term: the number of people accessing opportunities; the levels of qualifications and skills improving; and ensuring that businesses remain within Surrey and are able to recruit from within the County due to an increase in residents entering employment. The Chairman requested that the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee see a copy of the Cabinet paper. Action - Cabinet Member for Transport and Growth/ Executive Director of Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth

2. A Member asked if basic skills for those that had missed a formal education would be included in the plan. The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth confirmed that basic skills would be addressed through the lifelong learning element via Surrey’s maintained schools with this offer being extended to academy schools.

3. A Member queried how future skill requirements could be predicted. The Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth explained that input regarding future skills from business leaders and companies would be reflected in the future Skills Plan. The Executive Director of Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth added that businesses and education providers were brought together through the Surrey Skills Forum enabling direct conversations around short and long-term requirements.

4. A Member, in referring to paragraph 9 of the report, queried how residents facing barriers could enter and progress through the skills and employment system in practice. The Executive Director of Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth reiterated the focus of SCC to convene and facilitate contact between education providers, businesses and residents with a view to simplifying navigation of the scheme.

5. A Member said that there was a lack of guidance for young people not planning to go to university. The Executive Director of Partnerships, Prosperity and Growth explained that the Skills Plan paper addressed the gap – caused by the predilection of young people going to university –with discussions taking place with both Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) around an enhanced career service to provide the alternative guidance required.

6. A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38