Council aims to help 1,000 residents get back into work

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

A Welsh council is to commit millions of pounds to help boost the job prospects of 1000 residents over the coming year.

Caerphilly council will use £3.5 million from the last wave of the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for schemes it hopes will help unemployed people improve their chances of finding work.

The UKSPF is entering its final year before Westminster moves to a new model of structural funding for local and regional projects.

Cllr Jamie Pritchard said Caerphilly will receive £11.4 million in this transition year, and the majority of that money will be earmarked for running services and projects.

Tailored job support

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet, on Wednesday March 19, business enterprise and renewal manager Paul Hudson said the local authority will tailor job support to each individual.

Proposed services for 2025/26 include individual support for qualifications, CV writing and interview skills.

There’ll also be volunteer placements in the community and courses to increase confidence with numbers.

A series of skills development services will support people to search for jobs, change their career direction, and address skills gaps in the local job market’s areas of growth.

The council also offers a free recruitment service, Mr Hudson explained.

Allan Dallimore, the council’s regeneration services manager, said a nearly 60-strong team of staff “aim to support just over 1,000 underemployed people” in the coming financial year.

Business support schemes

UKSPF spending on services will also include around £1.5 million for various business support schemes, an extra £450,000 for town-centre events, and various sports and recreation initiatives.

Business support includes a continuation of grants Mr Hudson said had helped create 170 jobs and “safeguarded” a further 700 last year.

The events programme is “how we drive people to our town centres” and last year encouraged 50,000 extra visitors, he explained.

Cllr Sean Morgan, the council leader, said the “enjoyable” events are “astonishing at driving footfall”.

Mr Hudson also said sports clubs will be able to apply for grants of up to £2,500 for improvements to their facilities.

The UKSPF will also include around £3.1 million of spending on infrastructure, including a link between the railway station and new leisure centre in Caerphilly town, improvements to public spaces, a business hub, and winter support to the Ffos Caerffili market.

Following the meeting, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, the deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The employability team have been working hard to engage residents with upskilling and finding employment. Promoting the value of employment and working with employers is crucial.

“Employment in Caerphilly borough is now above the Welsh average, and I do believe this is in part due to the proactive efforts of the council.

“We are working to promote private sector investment throughout the county borough. We will continue to do so.”