A report updating the Committee on progress with the implementation of planning policies concerned with promoting Employment and Skills Plans.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report updating the Committee on progress with the implementation of planning policies concerned with promoting Employment and Skills Plans (ESP).  The report stated that the Council had adopted the requirement for ESP under a 2013 Supplementary Planning Document that sought to implement adopted Core Strategy Policies CS9: Infrastructure, Services, Resources and Amenities, and CS13: Impact of Employment Development to improve the work and training opportunities of local people.  An ESP requirement was attached to any new development or any regeneration or extension programme where more than 1,000 square metres of new non-residential floor space or 10 dwellings were being created, or where the cost exceeded £1million.

The report stated that Reading UK was the main agent for implementing the policy.  The process enabled the developer to opt to enter into a delivery plan, through Reading UK and working with local partners, or to pay a financial contribution towards the delivery of training and employment programmes. The financial contribution was based on a simple percentage of the anticipated construction costs and would be confirmed by a S106 legal agreement which was entered into by the developer before planning permission was granted.  In 2018/19, this Committee had agreed a drawdown of cash contributions to a total cost of £205,000 against a plan of activity covering a two year period.  In the first year 2018/19 the fund had been used to deliver the activities shown in Appendix A to the report.  The report also had attached at Appendix B the details of the programmes to be delivered in 2019/20, which included continuing to work to support local people in self-employment, sector skills, and finding good quality work.

Resolved –

(1)     That the ongoing delivery of employment and skills outcomes, as enabled by Section 106 Employment and Skills Plans, be noted and welcomed;

(2)     That the benefits of the delivery of employment and skills outcomes to the local economy and in particular to local residents by assisting residents to find good quality, permanent employment within the Borough be noted and welcomed.