Issue - meetings

Received the final report of the Improving Employment Prospects Policy Commission which was established to investigate ways in which to improve the employability of local people.

Agreed the recommendations as set out in the final report.

It was also noted that Barking and Dagenham has recently been awarded £15.5 million over the next three years under the first round of the new Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), a Government programme to boost business and enterprise in deprived areas.

Barking and Dagenham's successful bid, which could be worth £34.7 million over 10 years, subject to future Government Spending Reviews, was one of ten successful bids out of the fifty-five Local Authorities across England who applied.

Received the draft final report of the Improving Employment Prospects Policy Commission on the key findings.

The Commission had made a number of recommendations covering:

·  tackling the low skills base

·  the barriers to employment

·  the development of the local and regional economy

·  the development of the local existing and future workforce

·  strengthening the leadership role of the Council on employment

There were no additional comments made and it was noted that the report would be submitted to the Assembly on 1 March 2006.