(Pursuant to the Committee’s decision of 22nd February, to receive presentations from the Employers Forum and the Employees Services Board)
Minutes:
The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 22nd February, it had noted that requests for financial support had been received from both the Employers’ Forum and the Employment Services Board. The Director of Development reminded the Members that the Employers’ Forum, which had been established in 2003 and which operated within the West Belfast and Greater Shankill areas, was seeking financial assistance in the sum of £40,000 from the Council towards the establishment of a City?wide Employers’ Forum. Regarding the Employment Services Board, the Director reminded the Committee that its funding from the Department of Employment and Learning was due to cease in March, 2011 and that the organisation was seeking assistance, in the sum of approximately £60,000, from the Council to enable it to continue operating. It was pointed out that the Committee had agreed, at its meeting on 22nd February, to defer consideration of the matter to enable presentations to be provided by representatives of both organisations. Accordingly, it was reported that Mr. T. Mervyn, Employment Services Board, Mr. N. Gray, representing the Henderson Group and Ms. D. Timony representing the Employers’ Forum, were in attendance to provide presentations in this regard.
Mr. Mervyn provided an overview of the work of the Employment Services Board and provided information on its membership and its achievements to date. He gave an insight into the key work and initiatives which the Board had undertaken and explained that it aimed to provide a high quality service to individuals who had experienced unemployment on a long-term basis. He added that the organisation faced a number of challenges given the economic downturn and that North and West Belfast, together with the Greater Shankill, would be affected disproportionately should the services provided cease to exist.
Ms. Timony then gave an overview of the work of the Employers’ Forum and gave a number of examples of how the Forum had enabled individuals to secure long?term employment and outlined the benefits that would be accrued in extending the work of the Forum across the City. She indicated that such a move would complement the Council’s desire to address employability and skills and to encourage further private sector growth across Belfast to assist in the project.
In response to a Member’s question, Mr. Mervyn agreed to circulate attendance figures for recent meetings of the Employment Services Board and he acknowledged that the membership list circulated required updating. Further Members expressed concerns regarding the types of jobs which had been created and indicated that their long-term viability was questionable given the limited skill-base which they addressed. Mr Mervyn agreed also to provide a breakdown on the average duration of the jobs created, in addition to the age and gender breakdown of those persons who had secured employment through the organisation. The deputation thanked the Committee for receiving them and they retired from the meeting.
A prolonged discussion ensued, during which a number of Members pointed out that no provision had been made within the Department’s budgets which could enable the Council to consider the requests for financial assistance. The point was made that should the Committee accede to these requests, a precedent would be set which could encourage other organisations, which provided similar services in Belfast, to request Council assistance. It was stated also that the Committee should be mindful that the Council had no criteria to deal with requests of this nature and that a legal opinion should be sought prior to the Committee agreeing to consider the matter further.
After discussion, it was agreed that the matter be deferred to the Committee’s meeting on 28th March, at which a legal opinion would be presented regarding the Council’s options.