Lib Dems Deliver 2,000 Jobs Boost for Local People

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 9th Sep 2009

Councils from across South Yorkshire, including Liberal Democrat Sheffield, have been successful in securing £13.6 million of investment to provide new jobs for local people. The award will result in over 2,000 new jobs across South Yorkshire to help people hit by the recession to gain the skills, confidence and work history they need to secure long-term employment.

Approving the plan today, Councillor Colin Ross the Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for Employment, Enterprise and Development at Sheffield City Council, said: "Liberal Democrats are determined that a generation of young people should not be condemned to the dole queue as a result of the recession. We are taking the lead in proposing a wide range of new opportunities that will not only give a helping hand to young jobseekers but will, at the same time, contribute to improvements in Sheffield's communities and the local economy.

"A report by the Audit Commission in August praised Sheffield for its response to the recession and the way that it is preparing for the upturn. This investment can play an important part in making sure that young people in Sheffield have the right skills and training for when the economy recovers and the jobs market expands. This is about making sure that Sheffielders get the opportunities they deserve."

Local councils have worked with over 100 partners in the public, private and voluntary and community sectors to create a range of six month employment opportunities that will provide a stepping stone to long term jobs when the economy picks up. These include work in social enterprises run by the voluntary and community sector and 'green jobs' that will directly benefit neighbourhoods and help improve the local environment, as well as apprenticeships and experience of work in the public and private sectors. The partnership expects to begin creating new jobs by October of this year.