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LGA responds to PAC report into DWP support for employment during the pandemic
Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the LGA’s Resources Board responded to a report by the Public Accounts Committee into support from the Department of Work and Pensions into supporting employment during the pandemic
“As this report rightly acknowledges, councils play a vital role driving employment and training opportunities in their local communities. Throughout the pandemic, they led local efforts to bring agencies and partners together to coordinate employment, training and business support for their local area. This included securing Kickstart placements for young unemployed people helping unemployed people gain skills for in-demand local jobs, and supporting Restart providers to deliver back to work support.
“But councils want to play an even greater role. With adequate resourcing and powers and the ability to work in partnership with national government and others at an earlier stage in planning provision, they can help well-intended but often disconnected national schemes move people into work, and keep businesses recruiting.
“To help level up the country and build back better from the pandemic, it is important that existing support such as Kickstart is adapted so that it meets the changing needs of the labour market and extended to support an even wider range of young people and adults out of work.
“Councils stand ready to work with Government to help deliver the recovery our communities deserve.”