By Richard Johnstone in Glasgow | 6 October 2014
Councils would have greater control of back-to-work schemes such as the Work Programme, under plans set out by pensions minister Steve Webb.
Speaking at the Liberal Democrats conference in Glasgow, Webb said greater flexibility in the running of national job support schemes would ensure they can be matched to the needs of local markets.
A motion passed at the party’s conference stated that the Work Programme should be improved by giving local authorities a strong role in commissioning in a bid to end the 'silos of subcontracting' in the scheme.
In 2011, the Department for Work and Pensions tendered the work in 18 regional lots for five years, with prime contractors responsible for working with other providers to help people back into work.
In particular, the LibDems are looking to improve the Work Programme by giving local authorities a role in tailoring support for those aged between 18 and 24, older claimants, and those with health or mental health issues.
Webb said these areas of the Work Programme had not performed well and the large size of contracts made it difficult for small specialist voluntary sector organisations to win tenders.
Local authority control could ensure that specialist support was given to people furthest from the workplace, he said.
‘We need to help those who fall out of the labour market to find work quickly, help those who have been out of work a long time to take steps back into work and help those who have found work to progress,’ said Webb.
Webb also said there was a need to ensure government programmes intended to get people into work were focused on the individual.
‘We also need to make sure that we are making the most of local expertise, whether through local government, local enterprise partnerships or anyone else who is best placed to help unemployed people get back to work,’ he said.