In accordance with Standing Orders, the following motions have been received for consideration:
(1) Expanding Apprenticeship Opportunities in Stevenage
To be moved by Councillor Tom Plater
This Council notes that:
1. Apprenticeships provide a vital pathway into skilled employment for people of all ages, including young people entering the labour market, adults seeking to retrain or progress in their careers, and residents looking to develop new skills.
2. The Government has placed skills, training and employment at the heart of its mission to grow the economy and break down barriers to opportunity.
3. Recent apprenticeship reforms include measures to increase flexibility for employers and learners, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, expand opportunities for young people, introduce Foundation Apprenticeships, and reform the Apprenticeship Levy into a Growth and Skills Levy to better meet local labour market needs.
4. Stevenage has a proud history as a centre for innovation, advanced manufacturing, engineering, life sciences and technology, with major employers including Airbus, MBDA, Autolus and GSK, alongside a growing business community requiring a skilled local workforce.
5. This Council has already recognised the success of Stevenage Works in bringing together employers, education providers and public agencies to deliver employment, skills and social value outcomes for local residents.
6. Strong partnerships between local authorities, employers, colleges, training providers and Government are essential if local people are to benefit fully from apprenticeship reforms and wider economic growth.
7. Despite progress, barriers remain for residents seeking apprenticeships, including awareness of opportunities, travel costs, confidence, access to networks, caring responsibilities and competition for placements.
This Council believes that:
1. Every resident in Stevenage should have access to high-quality education, training, apprenticeships or employment opportunities at every stage of life.
2. Apprenticeships should be accessible to people from all backgrounds and at all ages, supporting social mobility, lifelong learning and inclusive economic growth.
3. Stevenage Borough Council has an important leadership role in convening partners and ensuring that regeneration and inward investment create opportunities for local people throughout their working lives.
4. The Government’s reforms provide a significant opportunity to increase apprenticeship participation, address local skills shortages and ensure businesses can access the workforce they need.
5. Existing partnerships, including Stevenage Works, provide a strong foundation on which to expand apprenticeship opportunities across the town.
This Council resolves to:
1. Work with key partners, including North Hertfordshire College, local schools, employers, training providers, the Hertfordshire skills system, Stevenage Works and business networks to maximise the opportunities arising from the Government’s apprenticeship reforms.
2. Strengthen and promote partnership working across Stevenage to increase apprenticeship availability and encourage greater employer participation.
3. Work with existing contractors, developers and partners to increase apprenticeship opportunities through procurement, Section 106 agreements, social value commitments and workforce planning, whilst ensuring that agreed apprenticeship, employment and skills commitments are effectively monitored and delivered.
4. Support the promotion of apprenticeships through careers events, outreach activity and engagement with residents, particularly those who are not currently in education, employment or training, or who may benefit from retraining and upskilling opportunities.
5. Work with local employers to identify barriers to apprenticeship recruitment and retention and advocate for solutions where appropriate.
6. Request that the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Skills reports back to Members within twelve months on progress made, including:
o apprenticeship opportunities supported or created;
o partnership activity undertaken;
o engagement with local employers and education providers; and
o recommendations for further action.
7. Ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, Minister of State for Skills, welcoming the Government’s apprenticeship reforms, highlighting the work being undertaken in Stevenage through Stevenage Works and related partnerships, and inviting Ministers to engage with Stevenage as an example of effective local delivery of the Government’s skills agenda.
(2) Protecting Fairlands Valley Park and South Field from Development beyond Local Government Reorganisation.
To be moved by Councillor Tom Wren
This Council notes that:
1. Fairlands Valley Park is one of Stevenage’s most valued public open spaces, providing essential recreational, environmental, health, and wellbeing benefits to residents of all ages.
2. The Park, including South Field and all associated green spaces, is widely used for leisure activities including walking, sport, community events, wildlife enjoyment, education, and informal recreation.
3. Public green spaces play a critical role in protecting biodiversity, improving air quality, supporting mental and physical health, mitigating flooding, and maintaining the character and identity of Stevenage
4. Future generations should be guaranteed permanent access to these open spaces for recreation and leisure purposes.
5. The maximum environmental protections are currently in place for Fairlands Valley Park and South Field under the existing town plan. There is concern that our current intentions are vulnerable to future challenges and potential changes to the town plan by successive administrations following local Government reorganisation, which may change the status of Fairlands Valley land.
This Council
therefore resolves to:
6. Publicly state our firm opposition against any current or future proposal for housing development, residential construction, or urban encroachment within Fairlands Valley Park, including the South Field.
7. Explore and implement the strongest available legal protections, including but not limited to:
o a restrictive covenant in partnership with Herts Wildlife Trust
o protected open space designation,
o Fields in Trust protection,
o or other legally binding mechanisms,
8. Ensure the land is permanently safeguarded for leisure, recreation, environmental, and community use only.
9. Request that Council officers prepare a report outlining the legal options available to secure long-term protection of the Park and South Field from development other than for the improvement of existing infrastructure, including the Farmhouse.
10.Commit to working with local residents, environmental groups, sports organisations, and community stakeholders to preserve and enhance the park for future generations.
11.Write to relevant regional and national planning authorities confirming the Council’s position that Fairlands Valley Park in its entirety and South Field must remain protected public leisure land and should not be allocated for housing development or industrial use in any future local planning framework.