BOROUGHS JOIN FORCES TO HELP RESIDENTS FIND JOBS / SOUTHWARK IN NEW DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAMME / CROYDON WELCOMES CHANCELLOR’S £7M GROWTH ZONE BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT / LAMBETH CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
BOROUGHS JOIN FORCES TO HELP RESIDENTS FIND JOBS
Three south London boroughs have joined forces in a new project to help local people find jobs – with £1.3m funding from central government.
Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark are on the verge of commissioning a £1.3m pilot to deliver ‘Pathways to Employment’. The pilot will support over 500 residents with complex needs to secure work or move closer towards employment.
Pathways to Employment, delivered in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, will run for 15 months and test an innovative model of assessment and support with nearly 3,000 residents from across the three boroughs.
Out of-work residents will be triaged, and those identified as having complex barriers to employment – such as mental or physical health problems, low confidence, lack of motivation, drug and alcohol misuse, and poor skills – will be offered support from a skilled keyworker.
Their keyworker will work with them to learn more about their barriers and needs, and they will work with the client to design a plan of action.
Keyworkers will provide their own expertise and link in to existing local council, health and voluntary sector services. They will also be able to buy in specialist services such as mental health provision or specific skills training if required.
Cllr Lib Peck, Leader of Lambeth council leader Cllr Lib Peck said: “This partnership between the three boroughs means we can offer support and help to people who most need it.
“Evidence shows that local initiatives are far more effective at helping people into work than a one size fits all approach.”
Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “Our collaborative approach to helping people with a range of needs means we can better target the services they require access to, and in turn help them get into work and training.”
Southwark council leader Cllr Peter John said: “By working together and drawing on our collective experience, resources, and links with local employers, we will transform the employment opportunities for those most in need across our three boroughs, and in doing so, help get our residents back to work as quickly as possible.”
For more information or if you are interested in bidding for this opportunity or to see the PPQ
in detail please go to southwark.gov. press releases South London boroughs join forces to invest £1.3m helping residents find jobs (Source: Southwark council press release)
SOUTHWARK IN NEW DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAMME
Southwark residents will be among the first in the country to take part in and shape a new national diabetes prevention programme.
The NHS and Public Health in England have launched a major bid to prevent illness by unveiling the first ever at scale national diabetes prevention programme. Simon Stevens, NHS England’s Chief Executive, announced the move in a major speech to the Diabetes UK professional conference in London.
The Public Health England led programme, which is a joint initiative between NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK, aims to significantly reduce the four million people in the UK expected to have Type 2 diabetes by 2025.
“Seven demonstrator sites around the country have been chosen to take part because of innovative measures they are already taking to try and reduce cases of diabetes in their own areas” said Southwark council ijn a statement.
“During the initial demonstrator phase Southwark will see more patients, monitor and test their local initiatives then help co-design and implement the national programme.
Southwark Council and NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group, the only London borough selected, were chosen on the basis of their plans to build on their existing ‘Walking Away from Diabetes’ programme. This is an educational scheme that teaches people how to reduce the risk of diabetes through increasing physical activity and other lifestyle changes.
Cllr Barrie Hargrove, Southwark’s cabinet member for public health, parks and leisure Cllr Barrie Hargrove said: “I am very pleased the work Southwark has been doing in public health has not only been recognised nationally but will help shape the future of diabetes prevention across the country.
“We are looking forward to the challenge.”
Linda Drake, clinical lead for diabetes at NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We want our patients to develop a better understanding of their health and be supported to make decisions that benefit their long-term wellbeing.
“As part of this national programme we can build on what has been working well in Southwark and use it to shape diabetes care on a national scale.” (Source: Southwark council press release)
CROYDON WELCOMES CHANCELLOR’S £7M GROWTH ZONE BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT
Croydon has cautiously welcomed a £7 million cash injection for its growth zone announced by the Chancellor in today’s Budget.
The government funding will go towards helping the council put in place proposals for the Croydon metropolitan centre which will create thousands of new jobs and homes for local people.
The announcement comes after the council, GLA and partners lobbied central government for support in accelerating Croydon Labour administration’s £5.25bn regeneration programme, including 23,500 new jobs.
This further demonstrates Croydon’s importance to London and the south east.
Croydon council leader Cllr Tony Newman said: “This is good news for Croydon and its residents, who will be the main beneficiaries of growth in our borough; however it is only a start towards ensuring Croydon has the much needed infrastructure improvements.
“We want to make sure that we are providing the right kind of growth that will improve the quality of life for local people.
“Tackling the shortage of housing is the council’s biggest priority and this announcement will help drive forward our plans to build thousands of new homes in Croydon while also creating thousands of new jobs.
“This funding boost is an important first step for our plans, and we look forward to continue working with the GLA and whoever forms the next government around our ambition for more devolved powers helping us achieve our full growth zone ambitions.” (Source: Croydon council press release)
Commenting on the budget Labour’s London Assembly budget spokesman John Biggs said:
“Whilst I welcome some of the announcements in the Budget, such as the money for housing, the Chancellor cannot hide the fact that after five years of this Government, London families are worse off and our public services and NHS are going backwards.
“London has a schools place crisis, our police force faces £800m of additional cuts and our NHS is on its knees. It’s perplexing that George Osborne failed to mention any of this in his speech.
“The Chancellor has missed his targets to reduce the deficit, meaning we have years of austerity to come. He wants us to think he’s done a magnificent job, but in reality we’ve had five years of falling living standards.”
John Biggs AM is the London Assembly Member for City and East. (Source: GLA Labour party press release).
LAMBETH CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Lambeth council are considering hiring enforcement officers to crackdown on fly tipping, littering, dog fouling and other anti-social behaviour.
Lambeth’s cabinet have approved the recommendations of a report that include reducing the cost to residents of removing bulky items in an attempt to cut fly tipping and contracting a private firm to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for anti-social behaviour.
In 2014, the council issued over a thousand FPNs, more than half of them for littering.
Lambeth’s cabinet member for environment Cllr Jenny Brathwaite said: “ Residents and business people are sick and tired of littering, spitting, dog fouling and fly tipping.
“It costs a lot of money to clear up after a few inconsiderate people so this is a very clear message that when it comes to anti-social behaviour, Lambeth is taking a zero tolerance approach. ”
The recommendations were put forward by the Environmental Crime Scrutiny Commission following a lengthy review of how the borough tackles such problems.
Lambeth council recently made the first successful prosecution in the borough for spitting in public. (Source: Lambeth council press release.)
