Agenda item

To consider a report of the Green Skills Retrofit Jobs Sub-Group which was appointed by the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee of the Overview, Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee.

Cabinet received a report which presented the findings of the Green Skills Sub Group appointed by the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee of the Overview, Scrutiny and Development Committee to consider how the local training market could be stimulated to ensure local people had the skills and qualification required to deliver the retrofitting of energy efficient measures to homes and buildings.   

Councillor M Wilson, Chair of the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee, presented the report.

In determining its work programme for 2021/22 the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee agreed to appoint a sub-group to examine the Authority’s approach to adapting to a green industrial revolution and ensuring people have the right skills for the future green jobs.

The Sub-Committee subsequently appointed the Green Skills Sub Group, drawn from members of the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee, Environment Sub Committee and Children, Education and Skills Sub-Committee, to:

a)    consider the steps required to ensure residential, public, commercial and industrial buildings in the borough have the lowest possible carbon emissions to support the Council’s 2030 net zero ambition;

b)    analyse the skills, qualifications and accreditations that will need to be gained by the local workforce so that:

i.         they are equipped to deliver energy efficient buildings;

ii.        the need for imported skills is avoided; and

iii.       the borough benefits from the low carbon economic growth;

c)    identify sources of funding that could be accessed for skills and training from a variety of sources to support the local economy; and

d)    make recommendations to the Elected Mayor and Cabinet on how the Authority and its partners might stimulate the local training market so that the required skills, qualifications and accreditations can be taught to our residents by North Tyneside based providers.

The Sub-Group held a series of evidence gathering meetings with officers and key stakeholders during January and February 2022 and also had regard to a wealth of policy documents and research papers which had been published in relation to decarbonising the built environment and the skills and jobs that would be required to deliver it.

The Sub-Group had prepared a report setting out its findings, conclusions and recommendations and this was attached at Appendix 1. The report was considered and agreed by the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee on 10 May 2022. 

The Chair of the Overview, Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee, Councillor Janet Hunter, had waived the requirement that the report be submitted to and approved by the Overview, Scrutiny and Development Committee because its next scheduled meeting was not until 13 June 2022. It was hoped that by presenting the report and recommendations to Cabinet at the earliest opportunity this would assist the Cabinet review and revise its Climate Emergency Action Plan.   

The recommendations of the Sub Group were summarised in Section 1.5.5 of the report. The full report which outlined the key findings, conclusions and recommendations of the Economic Prosperity Sub-Committee was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

In accordance with section 9FE of the Local Government Act 2000, Cabinet was required to provide a response to the recommendations of the Overview, Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee within two months.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and the Deputy Mayor thanked the Sub-Group for its report.

Resolved that the report of the Overview, Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee on the Sub Group’s review of Green Skills Retrofit Jobs be noted; and a detailed response to the recommendations be submitted to a future Cabinet meeting,

no later than July 2022.

(Reason for decision – Cabinet has a statutory duty to respond to the Overview, Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee recommendations within two months of receiving them).