Decision details

The Committee received a report which set out the rationale for investing in supported employment, and the best practice approaches as the Council looked to ensure a consistent approach to the delivery of supported employment within the borough, from Mark Lobban, Interim Director of Commissioning, and Colin Jacklin, Head of External Funding, Complex Worklessness & Inclusion.

The Committee were updated that in 2025 there would be additional external funding to support the team, and the three main focus areas were:

1. Ensuring that right model for supported employment was used;
2. Emphasising the cost savings which this model can produce; and
3. Acknowledging that there would be a further report to Adults and Health committee which would detail the funding schemes for the policy – the Shared Prosperity Fund, and the “Connect to Work” scheme from the Department of Work and Pensions in 2025 which would provide up to £4.5 million to Cheshire East Council over a three year period.

The Committee were updated that Cheshire East Council has an active relationship with potential employers and worked closely with them on a person to person bases to ensure that the correct individual could be supported in each supported employment role. It was noted that employers were supportive of the scheme and there had been a number of instances where roles in hard to fill sectors had been filled with an individual from the supported employment scheme, and Cheshire East Council would be using its supportive apprenticeship scheme to ensure that roles were available within the Council.

The Committee were updated that the Cheshire East Council works with each potential employee to ensure that taking on a paid role would not impact their finances negatively in terms of any benefit entitlements.

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

That the Adults and Health Committee:

1. Note the content of the report and request a further paper comes back to Adults and Health Committee when there is a substantive decision to be made.