European Social Fund in England
2007 - 2013
ESF Co-financing partnership launched in West Midlands
Unique West Midlands partnership puts LSC, the regions Local Authorities and together with Jobcentre Plus at the heart of future funding for regional economic regeneration
The launch of England’s first joint LSC and Local Authority co-financing partnership will allow public sector organisations in the West Midlands to work together to develop an effective and co-ordinated approach to tackling the barriers to increased employment, the reduction in the numbers of people not in education, employment and training (NEETs) and to engaging disadvantaged groups in our communities.
The LSC, together with the West Midlands Local Government Association and Jobcentre Plus are seeking to ensure that they understand the different agendas and priorities of each partner organisation and to look at ways of complementing these whilst avoid having competing initiatives.
Some facts and figures:
The next European Social Fund (ESF) co-financing programme will run from 2007 to 2010 with £102 million of funding from ESF to support the LSC/LA partnership CFO Plan (£204 million with the matched funding that the LSC will bring) and £32 million to support the Jobcentre Plus/DWP CFO Plan.
The programme will have two main priorities:
- to increase employment, reduce unemployment, tackle the barriers to work faced by disadvantaged groups and reduce the number of NEETs
- to develop a skilled and adaptable workforce with particular focus on the low skilled
David Cragg, Regional Director LSC West Midlands, comments: "the new co-financing partnership is a fantastic opportunity for our region allowing us to complement our mainstream activities to ensure we maximise the assistance we give to get people back into work or improve their employment prospects".
Olwen Dutton, Chief Executive - West Midlands Regional Assembly & West Midlands Local Government Association added that "the WMLGA is very pleased with the progress that is being made across the West Midlands and the way in which we are working in partnership to achieve this with our colleagues in the LSC and GO West Midlands."
