Decision Maker: Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: April 3, 2025

Purpose:

Content: 8.1 The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures Portfolio, which sought approval for the final Sheffield Employment and Skills Strategy document and accompanying Action Plan and asked the Committee to formally adopt the strategy.       8.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee:   a)    Notes the progress made to finalise the Sheffield Employment & Skills Strategy and role of stakeholders, including Sheffield Employment & Skills Advisory Board (SESAB) partners, in developing this strategy on behalf of the city. b)    Approve the strategy document and Action Plan, and adopt the strategy c)    Instruct the Council’s Employment, Skills & Economy Service to provide ongoing project management and administrative support to ensure: (i) monitoring of strategy outcomes, (ii) production of an annual outcomes report, (iii) an annual update to the Action Plan, and (iv) an annual refresh of the Evidence Base Dataset     8.3 Reasons for Decision     8.3.1 By noting the progress made by SESAB partners to develop the Sheffield Employment & Skills Strategy, approving and adopting this strategy, and endorsing the proposed approach for monitoring and reporting, EDPSC will enable city partners to adopt the strategy and begin delivering against agreed actions, to the benefit of residents, businesses, providers and other employment & skills stakeholders. EDPSC will also ensure a robust approach is taken towards the monitoring of partner activity and reporting of outcomes to assess collective performance, in terms of delivering on the three core missions outlined in the strategy.     8.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     8.4.1 Alternative Option 1: Delay the launch of the Sheffield Employment & Skills Strategy to enable further consultation and/or development work, with further input from the EDSPC Task & Finish Group The project has been in delivery since April 2024, with extensive input from a range of SESAB partners, the Task & Finish Group and EDSPC. By reviewing the existing draft products and the direction the project is taking, Members have an early opportunity to validate the approach or suggest alternations to ensure strategic alignment. The project has gone through two rounds of consultation with a broad range of stakeholders, and is underpinned by a robust evidence base. Consensus has been reached among SESAB partners, who are satisfied with the content of the strategy and the proposed approach to move forward into delivery; further consultation and/or development work would increase project costs and delay adoption and implementation. April 2025 may be a timely moment to launch the strategy, with further devolution in employment & skills taking place and South Yorkshire’s Economic Inactivity Trailblazer and NHSE Growth Accelerator programmes getting underway as part of Pathways to Work.     8.4.2 Alternative Option 2: Adopt the strategy but appoint an external consultant to monitor delivery. In this scenario, EDPSC would approve the strategy but instruct the appointment of an independent contractor to provide a monitoring and reporting function for SESAB. This would be in place of SCC, as the SESAB secretariat, providing this governance function. The role of the consultant Page 45 would include liaising with Action Area lead organisations, undertaking bi[1]annual monitoring to assess progress, producing an annual outcomes report and providing an operational link between Action Area Groups outside of formal SESAB meetings. This option would incur ongoing costs, which are likely to be significant and incurred by SCC on behalf of SESAB, on the basis that SESAB has no budget or mechanism for funding a commission. SCC would have greater flexibility to absorb the resourcing requirements and additional costs of providing this function, as part of its wider strategic work within local employment & skills.