Decision details

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Having complied with paragraph 15 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.

(i)  To delegate authority to the Service Director, Growth to take all actions necessary to accept the grant and deliver the project until September 2021.

(ii)  To accept, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, a grant of £566,583 from the European Structural & Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme as match funding towards a total project budget of £1,133,165

(iii)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, revenue expenditure of £1,133,165 for the Solent Employment Support project over 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 and the Council’s individual financial contribution of £260,716

(iv)  To approve the Council to act as Accountable Body for the administration of grant funding and Solent Employment Support Project Partnership.

1.  This report is submitted for consideration as a General Exception under paragraph 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules in Part 4 of the City Council’s Constitution, notice having been given to the Chair of the relevant Scrutiny Panel and the Public.  The matter requires a decision due to (a) a delay in receipt of DWP grant approval and (b) the project commencement date of 2nd June 2019 precedes the next Cabinet meeting scheduled for 18th June 2019.

2.  Under Financial Procedure Rules, the matter requires a decision in order to accept the grant award from the Department for Work & Pensions and deliver the Solent Employment Support project.

3.  Southampton City Council will lead the project on behalf of a partnership, which will support individuals living in Southampton, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight, Gosport, Havant and Waterside into learning and work. Target groups will be those whose profound, complex needs are likely to create acute difficulties for voluntary participation in the Work and Health Programme.  It will mainly focus on people who are ‘outliers’, including those with an enduring mental health condition, care leavers (19-24 years), adults and young people who are homeless or at risk of becoming so, people with a history of alcohol/substance misuse, women and men experiencing domestic violence/sexual abuse, and workless people with similarly entrenched barriers to work. 

4.  Grant funding will contribute to the Council’s key priorities of a city with strong and sustainable economic growth and where people can live safe, healthy and independent lives.  ESF funding will enable Solent Employment Support to:

·  Help unemployed and economically inactive people improve their skills and move closer to work by tackling the root causes of poverty and exclusion in a consistent and integrated way.

·  Enable target small businesses (SMEs) to secure the people they need to address labour shortages, develop workforce skills and improve business performance.

·  Widen project reach and impact by encouraging innovation, adaptation and uptake of Solent Employment Support in locally commissioned services and other business sectors.

Reject the Grant Offer

To not accept the ESF grant would result in the loss of external funding and cancellation of a proposed project to support economically inactive individuals with complex social and health needs access education, training or sustained employment. Loss of support for those requiring services. There would also be associated reputational damage to the Council