Decision details

A decision was made to Submit  2 bids  in response to a call issued by  West Yorkshire Combined Authority seeking bids from either a lead provider and/or delivery partners who are looking to work in partnership to deliver support for people and skills across West Yorkshire. 

 The UKSPF People and Skills Pillar is designed to boost core skills and support adults to progress in work, by targeting adults with no or low-level qualifications and skills in maths, and upskilling the working population, supporting disadvantaged people to access the skills they need to progress in life and into work, supporting local areas to fund local skills needs and supplement local adult skills provision and reducing levels of economic inactivity and moving those furthest from the labour market closer to employment.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority, following stakeholder consultation, allocated over £16m of UKSPF of its funding to this priority. Funding will be allocated  via  a  open call where organisations are invited to submit bids for the funding . This is a competitive call.

The priorities of the fund align with the priorities detailed in the Kirklees Employment and Skills plan  2022 to 2025 Aspire , Achieve and include .

It was decided to approve 2  bids for submission to this fund :

1.      Response to Call area 1  : Work and Health Kirklees will act as  lead provider and delivery partner 

2.     Response to Call area  3  :  Youth Unemployment :   Lead by Leeds City Council , Kirklees working with Calderdale and Kirklees Careers Ltd Council  will act as delivery partner under this call.

Alternative was to not submit bids  and risk  UKSPF funds from Pillar 3 not being available in Kirklees to support our ambitions. 

Submission of the bid does not mean  success in obtaining funding  -  this is a competitive call  with a response  expected end of Feb 2024.

Bids were due to be submitted  12^th January 2024  however a deadline was issued until  19^th  January  2024

1)     That authority be given to submit a bid to WYCA to access funding under USPF pillar3, in line with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

2)    That, subject to the bid being successful, the Strategic Director of Growth and Regeneration be authorised to sign the grant agreement.