That this Council:
(a) believes that apprenticeships are one of the best ways to support young people into long-term careers;
(b) is proud that The Rt. Hon. Nick Clegg MP and other Liberal Democrats have helped build a strong economy and a fairer society by delivering more apprenticeships in Government;
(c) recalls that one of the first acts of this Government was to increase spending on apprenticeships by £250 million – a 50% increase on the previous Government’s commitments;
(d) further notes that under this Government the number of people starting apprenticeships in Sheffield has increased by 54%;
(e) welcomes the latest announcement within the 2014 Queen’s Speech that the total number of apprenticeship places will increase to 2 million by 2015; and
(f) backs the Government’s latest announcement and supports all measures to help young people in Sheffield into apprenticeships.
Minutes:
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Apprenticeships |
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It was moved by Councillor Colin Ross, seconded by Councillor Roger Davison, that this Council:- |
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(a) believes that apprenticeships are one of the best ways to support young people into long-term careers;
(b) is proud that The Rt. Hon. Nick Clegg MP and other Liberal Democrats have helped build a strong economy and a fairer society by delivering more apprenticeships in Government;
(c) recalls that one of the first acts of this Government was to increase spending on apprenticeships by £250 million – a 50% increase on the previous Government’s commitments;
(d) further notes that under this Government the number of people starting apprenticeships in Sheffield has increased by 54%;
(e) welcomes the latest announcement within the 2014 Queen’s Speech that the total number of apprenticeship places will increase to 2 million by 2015; and
(f) backs the Government’s latest announcement and supports all measures to help young people in Sheffield into apprenticeships. |
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Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Sue Alston, seconded by Councillor Andrew Sangar, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (g) to (k) as follows:- |
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(g) welcomes recent statistics, which show there are now a record number of people in Sheffield in work; |
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(h) welcomes that out of the record 345,000 people who found work in the last quarter, the majority were in full-time employment and notes that less than 20% of people currently working part-time would work full-time if they could; |
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(i) welcomes that the proportion of young people in England not in education, employment or training (NEETs) has fallen to the lowest level since records began in 1994; |
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(j) welcomes the expectation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that the British economy would grow faster in the first six months of this year than any other G7 economy; and |
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(k) believes that the Liberal Democrat commitment to apprenticeships has been a key factor in achieving these outcomes. |
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On being put to the vote, the Amendment was negatived. |
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(Note: Councillors Jillian Creasy, Robert Murphy, Sarah Jane Smalley and Brian Webster voted for Paragraphs (g) and (i) and abstained on Paragraphs (h), (j) and (k) of the above Amendment and asked for this to be recorded.) |
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It was then moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, seconded by Councillor Chris Rosling-Josephs, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (f) and the insertion of new paragraphs (b) to (l) as follows:- |
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(b) welcomes that the present Administration have taken real action to support the development of apprenticeships in Sheffield and contrasts this with the appalling record of the previous Administration; |
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(c) further welcomes that under the present Administration, Sheffield has the best record of apprenticeships amongst all the Core Cities, demonstrating that local action has played a significant role; |
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(d) welcomes the creation of the Sheffield Apprenticeship Programme by the present Administration, which is now entering its fourth year and was targeted at young people at greatest risk of becoming unemployed; |
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(e) further welcomes the innovative approach to apprenticeships pioneered by the Sheffield City Region after the present Administration worked with partners to design a scheme which puts the control of local skills funding in the hands of local employers so the skills system can be designed to meet the needs of local businesses, producing long term benefit for the economy; |
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(f) contrasts this to the appalling record of the previous Administration who broke a promise made by its Leader committing the Council to providing an extra £1 million of support to the previous Government’s Future Jobs Fund; |
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(g) further recalls the previous Administration’s inaction on apprenticeships and believes that they have completely failed both in administration and opposition to develop any credible policies to support apprenticeships and Sheffield’s young people; |
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(h) regrets the continued smoke and mirrors of the Liberal Democrat Party as they try to defend their record on apprenticeships; |
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(i) recalls that the Government would not have been able to abolish Education Maintenance Allowance payments without Liberal Democrat support and believes this does not support the creation of a fairer society; |
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(j) recalls that the Government would not have been able to abolish the previous Government’s Future Jobs Fund without Liberal Democrat support and believes this does not support the creation of a fairer society; |
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(k) recalls that the Government would not have been able to treble tuition fees without Liberal Democrat support and believes this does not support the creation of a fairer society; and |
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(l) is shocked that the main opposition group continue to boast about the record of the present Government who have failed young people, however, welcomes any efforts to boost apprenticeships including the commitment made in the Queens Speech surrounding apprentices. |
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On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried. |
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The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:- |
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RESOLVED: That this Council:- |
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(a) believes that apprenticeships are one of the best ways to support young people into long-term careers; |
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(b) welcomes that the present Administration have taken real action to support the development of apprenticeships in Sheffield and contrasts this with the appalling record of the previous Administration; |
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(c) further welcomes that under the present Administration, Sheffield has the best record of apprenticeships amongst all the Core Cities, demonstrating that local action has played a significant role; |
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(d) welcomes the creation of the Sheffield Apprenticeship Programme by the present Administration, which is now entering its fourth year and was targeted at young people at greatest risk of becoming unemployed; |
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(e) further welcomes the innovative approach to apprenticeships pioneered by the Sheffield City Region after the present Administration worked with partners to design a scheme which puts the control of local skills funding in the hands of local employers so the skills system can be designed to meet the needs of local businesses, producing long term benefit for the economy; |
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(f) contrasts this to the appalling record of the previous Administration who broke a promise made by its Leader committing the Council to providing an extra £1 million of support to the previous Government’s Future Jobs Fund; |
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(g) further recalls the previous Administration’s inaction on apprenticeships and believes that they have completely failed both in administration and opposition to develop any credible policies to support apprenticeships and Sheffield’s young people; |
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(h) regrets the continued smoke and mirrors of the Liberal Democrat Party as they try to defend their record on apprenticeships; |
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(i) recalls that the Government would not have been able to abolish Education Maintenance Allowance payments without Liberal Democrat support and believes this does not support the creation of a fairer society; |
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(j) recalls that the Government would not have been able to abolish the previous Government’s Future Jobs Fund without Liberal Democrat support and believes this does not support the creation of a fairer society; |
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(k) recalls that the Government would not have been able to treble tuition fees without Liberal Democrat support and believes this does not support the creation of a fairer society; and |
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(l) is shocked that the main opposition group continue to boast about the record of the present Government who have failed young people, however, welcomes any efforts to boost apprenticeships including the commitment made in the Queens Speech surrounding apprentices. |
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(Note: 1. Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Richard Shaw, Rob Frost, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Penny Baker, Roger Davison, Diana Stimely, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Steve Ayris, Denise Reaney, David Baker, Katie Condliffe and Vickie Priestley voted for Paragraphs (a), (c), (d) and (e) and against Paragraphs (b) and (f) to (l) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded. |
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2. Councillors Jillian Creasy, Robert Murphy, Sarah Jane Smalley and Brian Webster voted for Paragraphs (a), (c), (d) and (e) and against Paragraphs (b) and (f) to (l) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.) |