5. Scottish Government Employability Grant Award 24-25 - Report

Renfrewshire Council · 28 May 2024
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 28 May 2024 and its agenda

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___________________________________________________________________
To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board
On:    28 May 2024
___________________________________________________________________
Report by:  Chief Executive
___________________________________________________________________
Heading:  Scottish Government Employability Grant Award 2024-25 
1. Summary 
1.1 This report updates Board on the most recent funding allocation from the
Scottish Government for employability support in Renfrewshire for the 2024-25
period. 
1.2 A grant award to local authorities is provided under the banner of No-One Left
Behind (NOLB) to support an all-age employability service and to tackle child
poverty. 
1.3 Renfrewshire Council is accountable for the resources which are directed and
managed through the Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership. 
___________________________________________________________________
2. Recommendations 
2.1 Board members are asked to: 
(i) Note the acceptance of Scottish Government grant by the Director of
Finance awarded for the 2024-25 period of £0.546M under the banner of
No-One Left Behind. 
(ii) Note that a further funding allocation for the balance of funds and a
separate award through the General Revenue Grant is anticipated in the
next 2 months. This will be reported to a future board.
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3. Background 
3.1 Employability plays an essential role in delivering both Scottish and local
government’s aims of tackling poverty, promoting inclusion and social justice
and creating a fair and prosperous Scotland. It is a key component of the
National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), contributing to
delivering the vision for a strong economy where good, secure and well-paid
jobs and growing businesses have driven a significant reduction in poverty and,
in particular, child poverty. 
3.2 Collectively, Scottish and local government aim to build an employability system
that tackles inequalities in Scotland’s labour market by creating a more
responsive, joined up and aligned employability system that meets the needs
of employers and local labour market and helps people of all ages achieve their
potential.    
3.3 Many individuals face significant challenges and barriers to obtaining and
sustaining work: This includes disabled people, those with long-term health
conditions, lone parents, homeless people and those from minority ethnic
groups. Barriers are also likely to exist and needing to be overcome for young
care leavers, ‘new Scots’ / refugees and those in the justice system, meaning
there is still a strong demand for employability support. 
3.4 No One Left Behind promotes a strengthened partnership approach where
Scottish and local government are working together with public, private and
third sector organisations to identify local needs and deliver a mixed economy
of provision. 
3.5 Local authorities act as lead accountable bodies for funding, with funding being
used by Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) to design and deliver services
that meet the needs of people and labour markets in their area. 
4. Employability Award 2024-25 
4.1 Scottish Government announced budgets earlier this year and indicated a
figure of around £90M for employability support of which £75.196M would come
to Councils and Local Employability Partnerships. 
4.2 Indicative allocations were provided to Councils in March 2024 and the
expected allocation for Renfrewshire was £2.262M for employability delivery
from 1st April 2024 to end March 2025. Grant award letters were expected at
the end of March to allow delivery to commence 1st April. 
4.3 Unfortunately Grant Award Letters were not forthcoming and it was clear that
there was going to be a delay. The issue was raised at both Cosla Community
Wellbeing Board and with Council Leaders and ongoing discussions with
Scottish Government have been taking place. 
4.4 Scottish Government have now confirmed that they remain committed to
working with COSLA to deliver on the joint No One Left Behind ambitions.

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Discussions are continuing to finalise allocations, with funding being released
as decisions are taken to ensure activities in agreed areas can proceed as soon
as possible. 
4.5 To enable progress and support continuity of service, Scottish Government
have decided to release funding equivalent to the first quarter of the financial
year allocation for No One Left Behind. 
4.6 A Grant Award letter for £0.546M was received by the Council on May 2nd 2024
and this initial award will be accepted by the Director of Finance. As part of the
offer of grant an Annual Investment Plan will be developed for Employability for
the year ahead to be submitted to Scottish Government. This will be reported
to a future board. 
4.7 Although the Council does not have formal confirmation of the full financial
award under No-One Left Behind the service is continuing as normal for now.
All commissioning for the year has taken place and partners are already
delivering services. The Invest in Renfrewshire budget was established to cope
with retrospective payments and funding delays and so the team are able to
continue as planned for the time being. 
4.8 Any future funding cut in the grant award would be unfortunate however as
funding is never fully guaranteed there are mitigations in the plan for the year
to downsize certain elements and this will be reported through the Investment
Plan to be reported to the next board if it is required. 
5. Conclusion 
5.1 In summary, the first quarter grant award will be accepted by the Director of
Finance with the remainder to follow in the next few months. It is hoped that the
full indicative allocation will be forthcoming and a further report to Board will
outline this alongside the Employability Investment Plan for the year ahead.
___________________________________________________________________
Implications of the Report 
1. Financial – No immediate implications for Renfrewshire. The grant award is for
the current quarter spend, any further implications relating to delays or cuts will be
outlined in a future board report. 
2. HR & Organisational Development – Not applicable. 
3. Community/Council Planning – the funding award comes through Renfrewshire
Council for decision by the Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership, a group
reporting to the CPP. All partners on the LEP have been kept up to date on funding
delays and are happy with the plans in place. 
4. Legal – Not applicable.
 
5. Property/Assets - Not applicable.

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6. Information Technology – Not applicable. 
7. Equality & Human Rights - Not applicable.
 
8. Health & Safety- Not applicable. 
9. Procurement – Not applicable. 
10. Risk- no risks at present. Funding delays are already mitigated against using the
Invest in Renfrewshire budget and any funding reduction in future will be subject
to a separate report to board. 
11. Privacy Impact- Not applicable. 
12. Cosla Policy Position- Cosla are involved in ongoing discussions with Scottish
Government over the grant award. 
___________________________________________________________________ 
For more information contact: 
Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk