Skills & Employment Summit 2012

Tackling skills gaps to get the South East working has to be a top priority for councils, businesses and education. A Skills Summit on 8 March 2012 heard that the South East faces skills shortages in specialist areas - such as IT - but also a shortage of workers with the basic attitude and life skills that employers want when recruiting staff.

Bucks CC Leader Cllr Martin Tett chaired the Summit, calling for action to avoid a lost generation of unemployed young people.  Employment Minister Chris Grayling spoke at the Summit, making the case for giving young people experience and a step on the jobs ladder through the Government's Work Programme. 

Delegates also heard from young apprentice Anna Davies, who explained how her job at Kent County Council was giving her skills to kick start her career. Read an overview of key points from the Summit.

The Summit - Working our way to economic growth: skills & abilities to drive the economy - was held jointly by SEEC, SESL and SESPM. View the agenda here and speaker presentations below:

 

Doug Morrison, Chairman, & Anne-Marie Mountifield, Executive Lead, Solent LEP

Marc Bayliss, Managing Director, Worcester Research

Richard Byard, Head of Economic Development, Reading UK CIC

Cllr Paul Carter, Leader, Kent County Council

Panellists (combined slides showing each panellist's 3 key points)
- Steve Rankin, Regional Director, CBI Thames Valley
- Bill Fearon, Principal & Chief Executive, K College
- Professor Ruth Farwell, Vice Chancellor, Bucks New University
- Cllr Paul Carter, Leader, Kent County Council

 Read speaker biographies.

Housing Conference February 2011

The SEEC Conference Housing the South East: Opportunities & Challenges was held on 15 February 2011.

Around 100 members and officers from SEEC member councils attended the conference to hear speakers involved in all aspects of housing -  local authorities, central government, developers, housing associations and the charity sector. SEEC also worked closely with the South East Strategic Partnership for Migration to deliver a session on the impact of migrant workers on the housing market.

View the housing conference agenda . Speaker presentations are available below:

SESSION 1: Housing opportunities & challenges in the South East

Cllr Paul Carter,  SEEC Chairman & Leader Kent County Council

Jon Bright,  Director, Department for Communities and Local Government - Q&A responses received following the conference

Mervyn Greer & Dennis Seal,  Directors, Kier Group

Cllr Elizabeth Cartwright OBE,  SEEC Executive & East Hampshire District Council

Matt Sanders,  Campaigns Officer, Shelter
[Text from presentation; National Homelessness Advice Service Toolkit; SE Homelessness Forum information sheet]


SESSION 2: Meeting the need for homes for all

Ann Santry,  Chief Executive, Sovereign Housing Group

Michael Crofton-Briggs,  Head of City Development, Oxford City Council

Catriona Riddell,  Consultant, Catriona Riddell Associates and Planning Officers' Society

Alison Breese & Michelle Chivunga,  Chartered Institute of Housing

Cllr Paul Dendle,  Arun District Council

Cllr Daisy Benson,  Reading Borough Council


Summary of key points from the day


Also see link to National Housing Federation work on needs of older people mentioned during discussions.


Link to SEEC PRESS RELEASE