Policy E5
Local employment, training and skills development
- Planning contributes will be sought from local businesses to deliver the 'Upstream Pathway Bond' inclusive growth objectives to deliver local business support to local young people from diverse backgrounds such as mentoring, training and apprenticeships, particularly in STEM subjects.
- The council will require the provision of appropriate employment and training initiatives for local people of all abilities in the construction of major developments and in larger employment generating developments, including visitor accommodation and facilities, when these are completed.
6.38 The borough currently faces real socio-economic difficulties, including acute affordable housing need and high levels of deprivation. Continued economic growth in the borough will require a growing work force. These jobs will not go to unemployed residents in the borough unless they have the necessary qualifications and skills. Where major developments come forward that do not employ and/or train local people in their construction/operation, they will aggravate this situation. This is because local unemployed people will not be moving into the local labour market, and the growth in jobs related to those developments will have to be met by workers from outside the local area. This will aggravate existing circumstances by increasing pressure on the already overstretched supply of housing, and on local transport infrastructure. It will also fail to address the social inequalities across the borough. Accordingly, in order for major developments to be sustainable, particularly having regard to the social and economic strands of sustainability, they must comply with the policy.
Planning obligations (Section 106 agreements)
6.39 A priority of the council is to understand and address skills shortages and it will negotiate Section 106 planning obligations with developers proposing large scale employment generating activity including visitor accommodation to make best use of the added value of employing local labour.
Upstream pathway bond
6.40 The 'Upstream Pathway Bond' provides opportunities for local businesses to play a meaningful role in supporting the local community in which they operate. The bond is a central part of the Council's Industrial Strategy which focusses on inclusive growth so that local young people from diverse backgrounds can achieve excellence in their education through provision of quality study spaces, technology, and learning support. The Local Plan can assist in achieving these objectives through S106 agreements, for example requiring businesses to support young people by providing mentoring, apprenticeships and work experience, as well as sponsorship of higher education qualifications in STEM subjects.
6.41 There are many agencies involved in training, such as the Ealing Hammersmith & West London College (EHWLC) and Job Centre Plus (JCP) and the voluntary & community sector (VCS), but the council has a central role in ensuring that learning and skills provision for adults in Hammersmith and Fulham is delivered in a coherent and effective way.
Partnership working
6.42 The council will encourage developers to work in partnership with the Council's Economic Development Team to maximise job opportunities for local people including employment, training, apprenticeship opportunities, outreach programmes including schools to raise aspirations and awareness of job opportunities, including during construction phases. In doing so, the council will ask them to commit to programmes to enhance business and area competitiveness as well as maximising opportunities for local entrepreneurship and enterprise. This will be secured through associated S106 agreements as part of larger developments including those within the opportunity/regeneration areas. Further guidance is available in the Regeneration Area policies. The council will also encourage the London Living Wage which it believes is good for businesses, good for the individual and good for society.