Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report which provided information regarding the introduction of the Government’s Restart Programme.

It was reported that the new £2.9 billion Restart scheme was announced at the Spending Review on 25 November 2020, as part of the Commercial Agreement for Employment and Health Related Services (CAEHRS) Framework and Restart Programme.  The Restart Programme would provide intensive and tailored support to unemployed people.

Members were advised that the Council’s Employment, Learning and Skills (ELS) Division would deliver the Programme on a sub-contractor basis and that in April 2021, G4S were awarded the Restart Programme prime contract for CPA3 (North West).

The report discussed the details of the contract including income and expenditure costs.  It was noted that the Programme offered ‘Payment by Results’ which were received upon the achievement of sustained job outcomes.  So providers would be incentivised to help as many people as possible into sustained employment – the more people helped to sustain employment the more outcome payments received.

Further to Members comments on the Programme, it was noted that this Programme was using a different approach than ones used previously with similar Programmes by the DWP, in that participation would be encouraged on a voluntary basis initially for the client. 

Members welcomed the fact that the Council was delivering the Restart Programme on behalf of the DWP rather than a private company.

RESOLVED:  That the Board notes the report and that the Restart Programme would be delivered by the Council’s ELS Division on a sub-contractor basis.