By Richard Johnstone | 24 March 2014
A £130m City Deal signed between the government, Leicester and Leicestershire councils will create 1,400 new jobs and 4,000 apprenticeships to tackle youth unemployment in the region, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced today.
The deal, which is the 16th to be reached across the 28 areas involved in negotiations, will also give the local authorities more control over skills programmes.
Under the plans, a new ‘Young Persons Pledge’ will be created in the area to ensure all 16- to 24-year-olds will be given the chance of employment, education or training. Local employment schemes will be created to supplement national initiatives such as the Work Programme, and an Employment and Apprenticeship Hub will help local businesses create apprenticeships and traineeships.
Clegg said the deal would unlock more than £130m of public and private sector investment.
‘We’re giving Leicester the freedom, power and tools to be really innovative and design whole new ways of building a stronger economy and fairer society,’ he added.
‘This City Deal puts power in the hands of local people who know best what skills are needed in the area to give it a real chance of changing the fortunes of thousands of people across Leicestershire.’
Cities minister Greg Clark said that youth unemployment was already falling and this deal would cut it further.
‘By helping to grow local small and medium-sized businesses, we will encourage and support more to take on trainees and apprentices to ensure the skills remain in the region. That way order books fill up and more young people have jobs. I’m delighted to be able to say yes to the deal.’
In addition to tackling youth unemployment, the pact will ensure closer working between local authorities and the Homes and Communities Agency to co-ordinate the disposal and development of publicly owned land.
Negotiations with the 20 cities in the second round of City Deals follow the initial round of deals agreed with eight core cities in England.
