Agenda item

(a)  That it be noted that the Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal, focused on increasing the participation of 16-24 year olds in education, training and work, to develop work-related skills and to streamline the pathway to employment for young people, was accepted by government and launched on 28 October 2013 with the signing of the deal document by all six unitary authorities and the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

(b)  That a Joint Committee be established of the six Berkshire Unitary Authorities be appointed under Section 102 (2) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 for the purposes of managing and delivering the agreed outcomes of the City Deal initiative, and in this regard:

·  The Leader of the Council be appointed to the Joint Committee as Slough Borough Council’s representative;

·  Reading Borough Council be recognised as the Accountable Body for the purposes of the City Deal initiative;

·  Bracknell Forest Borough Council be appointed to the role of Secretariat to the Joint Committee on behalf of the six unitary authorities;

·  The Berkshire-wide officer group set up to steer the development of the City Deal Proposal continue in this role reporting to the Joint Committee, and be responsible for:

The Head of Strategic Policy and Communications introduced a report which updated the Cabinet on the Berkshire City Deal and sought agreement to the formation of a joint committee to oversee implementation of the City Deal.

Members were informed that the City Deal had been accepted by the Government and signed by all six local authorities in Berkshire and Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in October 2013.  The City Deal focused on increasing the participation of 16-24 year olds in education, training and work.  Members discussed the impact the targeted 50% reduction in youth unemployment would have if implemented in Slough over the next three years.  It was noted that this target was Berkshire wide and there was not a specific target for Slough.  The Deal would involve the establishment of an Employment and Skills Gateway to create skills and employment opportunities and would be delivered by a ‘hub and spoke’ model.  The ‘spoke’ in Slough would be Slough Aspire.

The governance arrangements were explained and the Cabinet were advised that it was necessary to set up a joint committee of all Berkshire unitary authorities to oversee implementation of the City Deal.  It was noted that Reading Borough Council would be the accountable body and Bracknell Forest Council would provide the secretariat for the joint committee with the LEP being the operational body.  The Cabinet noted the signing of the City Deal, welcomed the focus on youth unemployment and agreed the proposed governance arrangements as set out in the report.

Resolved –

(a)  That it be noted that the Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal, focused on increasing the participation of 16-24 year olds in education, training and work, to develop work-related skills and to streamline the pathway to employment for young people, was accepted by government and launched on 28 October 2013 with the signing of the deal document by all six unitary authorities and the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

(b)  That a Joint Committee be established of the six Berkshire Unitary Authorities be appointed under Section 102 (2) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 for the purposes of managing and delivering the agreed outcomes of the City Deal initiative, and in this regard:

·  The Leader of the Council be appointed to the Joint Committee as Slough Borough Council’s representative;

·  Reading Borough Council be recognised as the Accountable Body for the purposes of the City Deal initiative;

·  Bracknell Forest Borough Council be appointed to the role of Secretariat to the Joint Committee on behalf of the six unitary authorities;

·  The Berkshire-wide officer group set up to steer the development of the City Deal Proposal continue in this role reporting to the Joint Committee, and be responsible for: