Cabinet at Preston City Council have given the go ahead to a partnership with Calico Enterprise Ltd for the implementation and monitoring of the Central Lancashire Employment Skills Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

Calico Enterprise, part of the Calico Group, will provide the Council with additional resources, expertise and experience to help introduce this new and innovative end-to-end process, which is understood to be the first of its type in the UK.

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The service will support and encourage applicants and the construction industry to achieve the local employment and skills outcomes identified within adopted Core Strategy policies, which will support the Council’s delivery of principal Community Wealth Building objectives.

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Councillor David Borrow, Cabinet member for planning and regulation, said: “We’re very happy to be working with Calico on this new partnership and we welcome their support and expertise in this important aspect of demonstrating responsible planning and development.

“Fundamentally, this will help with addressing the national skills shortage across the country by ensuring that developers in this region work with local employers and training providers on specific skill sets and training, and to consider creating apprenticeships.

“The Council is committed to Community Wealth Building. This initiative encourages developers to add to the social value of their contracts by providing local training and employment opportunities.

“Importantly now more than ever, there’s a need to engage the local supply chain and encourage a local, post-Covid19 pandemic economic recovery, particularly targeted towards people in deprived communities and boosting education opportunities.”

Sam Howarth, Head of Social Impact at Calico Enterprise Ltd, said: “We’re delighted that this service has now received the go ahead from cabinet.

“As a company, we’re committed to creating genuine opportunities for local people to gain skills and access employment. This service will help ensure that developers meet their commitments to creating these opportunities and achieve maximum impact in their communities.”

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