Manchester is a place where businesses large and small want to operate and provide jobs for our workforce. Our growth as a city has helped attract a younger, more diverse and higher-skilled population. However, businesses are still struggling to find the right skills that they need and for the jobs of the future.

As a city we must tackle the challenges that this skills gap presents to us otherwise we will cease to grow and build the inclusive economy that our residents deserve.

According to the Institute for Public Policy Research - State of the North Report 2022, just one in six people aged 16-64 in the North of England hold at most a level 1 qualification, compared to just over one in seven in England as a whole. If Government truly wants to level up, then they need to invest in our education and skills system to help us address this challenge.

For too long, central government has not taken a holistic view of skills and education. There is a disconnect between skills and jobs, and between Whitehall and our local labour market in Manchester. Our local businesses, employers, education and skills partners and local leaders understand the local labour market and know what is required to plug the skills gap. However, further devolution is needed to make a success of addressing the challenges which we currently face.

Following the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper last year, Greater Manchester was recognised as a ‘trailblazer’ Combined Authority, and negotiations began with central government on further devolution of skills budgets. Greater Manchester’s leaders have been calling for further devolution of the skills system, careers and more employment support.

Following the Budget earlier this month, the government listened and in Greater Manchester we now have the ability to create the country’s first integrated technical education city-region. This is now a step in the right direction in terms of skills devolution, however, there is still more the government needs to do to ensure Manchester has all the necessary powers to provide the skills opportunities Mancunians deserve. 

Manchester continues to be a thriving city which is making good progress with our growth in terms of the economy and jobs. We must build on that momentum with our partners in the sector, and call on the government to provide fair funding in order to truly deliver the benefits of ‘levelling up’.

This council resolves: -

1.    To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to work with the Mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure that Manchester’s voice continues to be heard when pushing for further skills devolution from central government.

2.    To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the government calling for education and skills to be front and centre of all levelling up activity and investment.

3.    To lobby the government to increase spending at all levels of education and skills and to invest further in lifelong learning.

Proposed by Councillor Taylor, Seconded by Councillor Wilson and supported by Councillors Benham, Richards and Whiston

Motion Proposed and Seconded: Councillor Taylor and Wilson

Manchester is a place where businesses large and small want to operate and provide jobs for our workforce. Our growth as a city has helped attract a younger, more diverse and higher-skilled population. However, businesses are still struggling to find the right skills that they need and for the jobs of the future.

As a city we must tackle the challenges that this skills gap presents to us otherwise we will cease to grow and build the inclusive economy that our residents deserve.

According to the Institute for Public Policy Research - State of the North Report 2022, just one in six people aged 16-64 in the North of England hold at most a level 1 qualification, compared to just over one in seven in England as a whole. If Government truly wants to level up, then they need to invest in our education and skills system to help us address this challenge.

For too long, central government has not taken a holistic view of skills and education. There is a disconnect between skills and jobs, and between Whitehall and our local labour market in Manchester. Our local businesses, employers, education and skills partners and local leaders understand the local labour market and know what is required to plug the skills gap. However, further devolution is needed to make a success of addressing the challenges which we currently face.

Following the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper last year, Greater Manchester was recognised as a ‘trailblazer’ Combined Authority, and negotiations began with central government on further devolution of skills budgets. Greater Manchester’s leaders have been calling for further devolution of the skills system, careers and more employment support.

Following the Budget earlier this month, the government listened and in Greater Manchester we now have the ability to create the country’s first integrated technical education city-region. This is now a step in the right direction in terms of skills devolution, however, there is still more the government needs to do to ensure Manchester has all the necessary powers to provide the skills opportunities Mancunians deserve.

Manchester continues to be a thriving city which is making good progress with our growth in terms of the economy and jobs. We must build on that momentum with our partners in the sector and call on the government to provide fair funding in order to truly deliver the benefits of ‘levelling up’.

This council resolves: -

1.    To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to work with the Mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure that Manchester’s voice continues to be heard when pushing for further skills devolution from central government.

2.    To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the government calling for education and skills to be front and centre of all levelling up activity and investment.

3.    To lobby the government to increase spending at all levels of education and skills and to invest further in lifelong learning.

Councillor Nunney moved an amendment to the motion:-

Manchester is a place where businesses large and small want to operate and provide jobs for our workforce. Our growth as a city has helped attract a younger, more diverse and higher-skilled population. 

Manchester is on a journey to be an inclusive zero carbon city with an ambitious target to become zero carbon by 2038, and we want the skills sector to be a vital part of it.

However, businesses are still struggling to find the right skills that they need and for the jobs of the future. We desperately need to develop the green skills the city needs to deliver the projects and programmes planned to meet environmental targets.

As a city we must tackle the challenges that this skills gap presents to us otherwise we will cease to grow and build the inclusive and green economy that our residents deserve.

According to the Institute for Public Policy Research - State of the North Report 2022, just one in six people aged16-64 in the North of England hold at most a level 1 qualification, compared to just over one in seven in England as a whole. If Government truly wants to level up, then they need to invest in our education and skills system to help us address this challenge.

For too long, central government has not taken a holistic view of skills and education. There is a disconnect between skills and jobs, and between Whitehall and our local labour market in Manchester. Our local businesses, employers, education and skills partners and local leaders understand the local labour market and know what is required to plug the skills gap. However, further devolution is needed to make a success of addressing the challenges which we currently face.

Following the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper last year, Greater Manchester was recognised as a ‘trailblazer’ Combined Authority, and negotiations began with central government on further devolution of skills budgets. Greater Manchester’s leaders have been calling for further devolution of the skills system, careers and more employment support.

Following the Budget earlier this month, the government listened and in Greater Manchester we now have the ability to create the country’s first integrated technical education city-region. This is now a step in the right direction in terms of skills devolution, however, there is still more the government needs to do to ensure Manchester has all the necessary powers to provide the skills opportunities Mancunians deserve.

Manchester continues to be a thriving city which is making good progress with our growth in terms of the economy and jobs. We must build on that momentum with our partners in the sector and call on the government to provide fair funding in order to truly deliver the benefits of ‘levelling up’.

This council resolves: -

1. To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to work with the Mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure that Manchester’s voice continues to be heard when pushing for further skills devolution from central government.

2. To ensure any devolved power will focus on developing incentives for small and medium sized enterprises to invest in research and development and to support businesses to green their operations, especially energy intensive industries.

3. To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the government calling for education and skills to be front and centre of all levelling up activity and investment.
 

4. To lobby the government to increase spending at all levels of education and skills and to invest further in lifelong learning.

The Lord Mayor informed Council that Councillor Taylor had accepted the amendment prior to the meeting, and that it now formed part of the substantive motion.

Resolution

The amended motion was put to the Council as the substantive motion and the Lord Mayor declared it was carried unanimously.

Decisions

1. To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to work with the Mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure that Manchester’s voice continues to be heard when pushing for further skills devolution from central government.

2. To ensure any devolved power will focus on developing incentives for small and medium sized enterprises to invest in research and development and to support businesses to green their operations, especially energy intensive industries.

3. To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the government calling for education and skills to be front and centre of all levelling up activity and investment.
 

4. To lobby the government to increase spending at all levels of education and skills and to invest further in lifelong learning.

(Councillor Johns declared a pecuniary interest in this item and withdrew from the meeting and took no part in the discussion or decision-making process).