People, places and partnerships: the role of councils and local partners tackling unemployment

Smith Square Conference Centre, London

What is the role of councils working with local partners in tackling unemployment? With jobs and growth at the top of the political agenda, how can councils help maximise local growth and the employment prospects of local people? The landscape has changed dramatically in the last eighteen months:

• The economic background is worrying with risks of further financial turmoil and with that, a further global recession. Unemployment is at 2.57 million. Fiscal consolidation means that public finances are highly constrained.
• There are new institutions and local enterprise partnerships to promote private sector led growth.
• There are new partners: the Work Programme providers are helping people back to work.
• There are new political ambitions to improve the lives of 120,000 families with complex needs.

This conference will explore council’s and local partner’s role in this new landscape, and anticipate the challenges that lie ahead, for example on welfare reform and the introduction of universal credit.

The event will bring together different sectors: Work Programme private and voluntary sector providers, thinktanks, Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus, BIS, Skills Funding Agency, colleges and training providers, business, local government and other partners.

Speakers announces include: 

• Rt. Hon Chris Grayling MP, Minister for Employment, Department of Work and Pensions 
• Rt. Hon Stephen Timms MP, Shadow Minister for Employment
• Cllr Peter Box, Chair of the Economy and Transport Programme Board and Leader of Wakefield Council 

To book your place, visit the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion website, email events [at] cesi [dot] org [dot] uk or call the Inclusion Events Team on 020 7840 8333.