Central London Forward has been working with BusinessLDN to shape the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) in the capital.
LSIPs aim to support the localisation of the skills system, ensuring technical education meets the needs of employers.
Our new report – Meeting Central London’s – highlights employer skills needs in central London, and sets out a roadmap for improving our skills system locally.
The report focuses on five key sectors for central London’s economy, which together account for almost seven in ten jobs; financial and professional services, digital, health and social care, hospitality and retail, and arts, entertainment and recreation. We also explore two vital cross-cutting themes; tackling inequalities and driving the transition to net zero.
The report sets out nine recommendations for improving the skills system, so that provision better meets the needs of employers; driving up productivity, tackling skills gaps and helping more residents into decent work.
In the coming months, Central London Forward will be working with providers to implement the recommendations set out in the report. We will also be working with New City College to shape the investment of the Local Skills Improvement Fund, which helps providers respond to the priorities set out in the LSIP.
The full report is available to read here, and the London-wide LSIP report is available here. For more information, please contact Aleyna Prokudina.
£1.8m secured to support residents into good work and training
Central London Forward has secured an additional £1.8m of European Social Fund from the Greater London Authority to support more residents into decent work and training through the Connecting Communities programme.
Rolled out in early 2022, Connecting Communities is an ESF-funded employment and training programme which supports unemployed and economically inactive residents in central London.
Connecting Communities is managed by Central London Forward – the sub-regional partnership of the 12 central London boroughs. The programme – which has helped build employment support capacity at central London boroughs – has been delivered by City of London, Camden, Lambeth, Lewisham, Haringey, Islington, Tower Hamlets and Westminster – and by Ingeus
The programme has helped 1,825 residents into employment since it was launched, with a further 1,992 moving into education or training.
The additional funding will allow Connecting Communities to continue delivery until the end of December 2023. The programme will focus on supporting young people who are not in education, employment or training, aiming to help a total of 900 into work or training.
Our Chair, Cllr Kieron Williams criticises HS2 “bad decision” and the “years of disruption to central London residents and years of pressure on Transport for London services”.
Read the On London article
Our Chair, Cllr Kieron Williams makes the case for devolution of employment support.
Ahead of the Spring budget on the 15th March, Central London Forward calls on the Government to:
Read the full Representation submitted to the Treasury.
On the 25th January, our Chair, Cllr Kieron Williams gave evidence to the Work & Pensions Committee about devolution of employment support.
Cllr Williams set out 5 priorities for employment support:
✅ Reduce inactivity
✅ Limit increase in unemployment
✅ Tackle labour market inequalities
✅ Promote good work
✅ Trust local government to deliver
Watch the session on Parliament live tv.
Read CLF’s response to the Work and Pensions Committee call for evidence on the government’s Plan for Jobs and Employment support.
CLF’s Director, Joe Dromey has written an article for On London about some of the challenges with the current approach to local government funding.
Read the On London article
Central London’s local authorities and the Mayor of London have come together with business groups to develop an action plan to drive the recovery of the capital’s Central Activities Zone post-pandemic.
Read the London Post article and the CAZ Futures Action Plan
Reports of the death of the London office have been greatly exaggerated – but policymakers must step up to ensure workers are encouraged to come to their desks. Read about our new research with ARUP UK.
Read the City A.M article and the Future of the Office in central London report
On the 12th October, our Director, Joe Dromey gave evidence to the London Assembly Planning & Regeneration Committee on the future of planning in London.
You can watch the hearing here: London Assembly meetings
The number of green jobs in central London is expected to double by the end of the decade – and double again by 2050. Read about our new research with WPI Economics and IES.
Read the City AM article and the Green Jobs and Skills in central London report
The pandemic has exposed and exacerbated inequalities in London, without concerted action, major economic trends in the coming years may further deepen inequalities. Read about our new research with WPI Economics.
Read the City AM article and the Inequality and poverty in central London – what the future holds and what it means for policy report.
Our Chair, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, was interviewed by LGC about what levelling up means for London, following the release of the white paper.
Read the LGC article
Businesses in central London have been hit hard by the rapid growth of Omicron.
Our Chair Cllr Campbell and Deputy Chair Cllr Kieron Williams have written to Rishi Sunak calling for urgent support to protect businesses and jobs.
Read the letter on CLF’s Twitter page
Coverage of our new report on Green Jobs and Skills in London by WPI Economics and the Institute of Employment Studies. The research undertakes the most comprehensive assessment of the impact of decarbonisation on London’s labour market to date. The report was commissioned by Central London Forward, Local London, South London Partnership and West London Alliance.
Read the City AM article and the Green Jobs and Skills in London report.
Coverage of our new report on infrastructure in the Evening Standard. Investing in London’s infrastructure will be vital to ensuring a robust recovery from the pandemic, and to supporting our transition to net zero.
Read the Evening Standard article
The CLF Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) submission argues that central London can play a vital role in driving the national economic recovery, and in levelling up post-pandemic. But we know that central London needs levelling up too. The capital was the most unequal part of the UK on the eve of the pandemic, and the coronavirus crisis has deepened many of these divides by hitting disadvantaged Londoners hardest. This submission sets out recommendations to ensure that London not only plays it’s role in levelling up the country, but levels up for all our residents.
Read the full CSR submission
Read the summary of the CSR submission
CLF have been working with WPI Economics to explore the impact of the pandemic on inequalities in central London. London was the most unequal part of the UK before the pandemic, and the crisis has deepened many of these inequalities.
Read the the full report – Inequality and poverty in central London before and during Covid-19.
Read the press release in City AM
Central London’s Infrastructure Priorities report was launched at an event hosted by CLF on the 18th October. Keynote speakers were Georgina Brightwell, CLF, John Dickie, London First, Kate Hand, London Councils and Alex Williams, Transport for London.
Read the report
View a recording of the launch event
CLF have submitted our response to the Department for Education consultation on Further Education funding. Funding for London’s FE sector must be protected and the vital role of Adult Community Learning should be recognised. Read the full response.
The Spending Review on the 27th October will set out the plan for how public spending will deliver the people’s priorities over the next three years.
Read Central London Forward’s position paper on Reforming Local Government Finance.
Our Chair Cllr Elizabeth Campbell and Cllr Robathan, Leader of Westminster Council had an article published in Conservative Home setting out the importance of the capital to levelling up after the pandemic.
CLF’s Chair, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell talks about London’s role in levelling up on The Local Authority Podcast
Our JETS employment programme – delivered by Ingeus UK and funded by DWP & ESF is helping people who lost their jobs during the pandemic to retrain and find work. Gillian’s story was featured on the BBC’s One Show
CLF’S Chair, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell calls on Government to ensure London receives its fair share of funding for employment and skills. Read the Evening Standard article.
In response to the Spring Budget 2021, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Chair of Central London Forward and Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea commented:
“It is right that the Chancellor has used today’s Spring Budget to lay the foundation for recovery and focus on supporting jobs. CLF welcomes the decision to extend vital business support measures to those thousands of businesses in central London which are currently on the brink of collapse and rely on support to survive.
However, what we need most is for government to listen to local authorities when deciding the nature of long-term measures – in areas like business rates, planning and employment support – that will allow urban centres across the UK to recover economically, socially and culturally.
The government’s ambition must include levelling up within regions as well as between them and must not leave central London behind.”
Read the full response
Central London Forward has submitted our response to the government’s technical consultation which highlights our significant concerns regarding the impact of the proposed permitted development right on our high streets and town centres, as well as our businesses and communities in central London.
Read the full response
We are pleased to announce that Joe Dromey has been appointed as CLF’s new Director and will be joining the team on the 19th April. Joe will continue to ensure that Central London Forward supports the work of the partnership and delivers maximum impact for the CLF boroughs, local economies, and communities.
The Evening Standard article highlights the less generous Covid-19 grants available to businesses in central London and references the Central London Forward Board Members letter sent to Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, stressing the need to “review and urgently enhance” the formula and eligibility criteria of the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).
Central London Forward has submitted our response to the White Paper which sets out our thinking on the proposals and highlights our concerns regarding the impact on affordable housing, employment and skills, and the risk of increased complexity in the current system.
Read the full White Paper response
Central London Forward has submitted our representation to the 2020 Review which outlines our strategic recommendations on the proposed Online Sales Tax, Small Business Rates Relief and the frequency of valuations.
Read the full CLF representation
Central London Forward have submitted our representation to the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). This sets out our thinking on what the government needs to prioritise in the next Spending Review.
Read the full CSR submission
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent government advice, the Central London Forward team will be working from home. All staff are contactable via email or phone and where possible, scheduled meetings will take place virtually.
We thank you for your patience during what are difficult and unprecedented times.
Despite the weather conditions, some of the CLF team took part in the planting of 493 trees at Mudchute Park.
Thanks to The Conservation Volunteers for their support and Deputy Mayor, Asim Begum for planting the first tree.
As of December 2019, Central London Works (CLW) had supported 493 participants, throughout the 12 central London boroughs into sustainable employment.
As a result, Central London Forward (CLF) pledged to plant 493 trees within 1 of the 12 central London boroughs. The selected borough would not only be allocated 493 trees, but the CLF team would participate in the tree planting activity as part of their employee volunteering programme and commitment to promoting a sustainable environment.
Whilst this great success was obtained throughout the partnership, the allocation of the trees could only be awarded to 1 borough. The selection of this borough was put to a vote and opened to the members of the Integration Board and the CLW Commissioning Team, who voted to provide the allocation to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
The Conservation Volunteers have kindly supported CLF by locating a site for the trees and arranging the tree planting activity, which will take place on the 27th February 2020 at Mudchute Park & Farm, Wild pond.
London’s future depends on its ability to innovate, reinvent and develop new ideas. This publication champions fresh original thinking with the potential to transform London’s city centre for the better.
It explores the ingredients needed to keep central London thriving as a sociable city centre and asks: how can central London cope with the demands placed on it.
Central London Forward has been named as one of the Project Partners on the Centre for London, London ideas project.
This project champions new ideas that could transform the city through a magazine and a series of associated events.
The publication will feature thought leadership on central London’s role as a cultural, retail and social hub, exploring interlinked questions such as:
The publication will be followed by an associated roundtable with relevant stakeholders.
Learn more about London ideas on Centre for London’s website.
March 2020
Developing an Employment and Skills Outcome Agreement
Central London Forward (CLF) are working alongside Shared Intelligence on an exciting project to develop an employment and skills outcome agreement in the health and social care sector.
This sector is a key priority for CLF – there are nearly 80,000 jobs in the sector across our boroughs, average pay is considerably below the London Living Wage, and turnover across London is high, at 27%. If you are working in health and social care in central London, please read our prospectus, and get in touch with responses to the key questions posed in the document.