Issue - meetings

COUNCIL RESOLVED  -

That Part 3, Schedule 5, of the Council’s Constitution (Delegations to the Strategic Director, Resources and Digital) be amended accordingly.

Consideration has been given to establishing a Gateshead Apprenticeship levy fund and transferring money from the Council’s apprenticeship levy fund to local employers to support them to increase the uptake of apprenticeships and to an amendment to the Council’s Constitution to grant the Strategic Director Resources and Digital delegated authority to award funds from the Council’s apprenticeship levy pot to individual businesses in Gateshead.

The alternative option to that being recommended, but which was discounted, was for all requests to transfer the levy to other organisations to be approved by Cabinet.

RESOLVED -

(i)

That the proposal to make available on an annual basis up to 25% (approximately £165k) from Gateshead Council’s levy pot for the development of a Gateshead apprenticeship levy fund so that money from this fund can be transferred to local businesses be approved.

(ii)

That the Council be recommended to approve the proposed delegation to the Strategic Director, Resources and Digital to enable funds to be awarded from the Council’s apprenticeship levy pot to individual local businesses and to agree an amendment to Part 3, Schedule 5, of the Council’s Constitution (Delegations to the Strategic Director, Resources and Digital) accordingly.

The above decisions have been made to ensure that money can be transferred to other businesses in the borough to support them with the cost of apprenticeship training and assessment and increase the number of local people in sustainable employment.