3.0 Performance Review Growing the economy and creating jobs

Why?

• You said ‘investment to grow the economy, create jobs and attract tourists’ was one of the most important forms of investment for Council*1.

• You also ranked ‘improving skills, employability and job prospects’ as the second most important thing that needed to be improved to make your area a good place to live*1

• The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in the number of job claimants in the region; a trend observed across almost all council regions in Northern Ireland. As of December 2021, figures remain 25% higher than January 2020*2

• Between 2019 to 2021, over 2,410 jobs were lost in Mid and East Antrim*3

• Director of Development

Who is responsible?

We have outlined our progress towards meeting our objectives as follows: Green | Achieved or on track Amber | Delayed but progressing Red | Not achieved or stopped Grey | Not due or not available

Outcomes

What you will see

A series of preemployment programmes to upskill and enable residents to access employment opportunities that provide a progressive career pathway.

How are we doing so far this year?

An additional 3 programmes commenced during Q3 and January 2023, bringing the total number of pre-employment programmes, either currently underway or complete, to 7:

• ‘Transport Academy’ (provides HGV and Bus License training).

• ‘Health and Social Care Academy’ (for new entrants and upskilling).

• ‘Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy’ (two bespoke training labs have been established and training is well underway).

• ‘Get into Childminding’ (helps participants to become registered childminders).

• ‘RISE: Female Returners Programme’ (six week confidencebuilding initiative designed for females returning to work after a career break).

• ‘Access all Areas’ (aiming to connect a minimum of 20 unemployed/economically inactive people with disabilities/ long-term health issues with local employers).

• ‘Female into Manufacturing Academy’ (providing support for women to enter non-traditional roles in advanced manufacturing and engineering settings, gaining knowledge, skills and qualifications in line with employer requirements).

A further 3 are set to launch:

• ‘Fibre Skills’ (due to commence February 2023).

• ‘Manufacturing Academy’ (due to commence February 2023).

• ‘Hospitality and Tourism: Restaurant Academy’ (due to commence February 2023).

‘Welding Academy’ was scheduled to commence in October 2022, however, the programme faced difficulty in the recruitment of a tutor and has therefore been cancelled. All participants have been offered alternative placement on the ‘Advanced Female Manufacturing Academy’ and the ‘MEA Manufacturing Academy’.

The promotion of new jobs in the Borough by successfully delivering the ‘Go for It’ Programme.

The Council have achieved our statutory ‘Go for It’ Programme targets, with 147 business plans developed and 88 jobs promoted up to 31 December 2022.

An effective and efficient Planning Service to maximise economic development.

For the period April to September 2022, we remain on target for 2 of the 3 statutory planning indicators.

Council were the top performing authority in two of these targets. These include the average processing time of local planning applications and the percentage of planning enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks.

Council were the fourth top performing authority in relation to the target set for the processing time of major planning applications.

The results for the period April to December 2022 are not yet available.

Our aim How are we doing so far this year?

7 employability programmes or academies delivered by March 2023.

10 employability programmes or academies are scheduled for delivery by 31 March 2023.

120 participants engaged.

227 participants have engaged up to January 2023 - Transport Academy (45), Health and Social Care Academy (23), Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy (114), Get into Childminding (10), RISE: Female Returners Programme (21), Access All Areas (14)

120 qualifications achieved.

10 participants progressing to Further Education.

60 participants gaining employment or selfemployment.

85*⁴ jobs promoted through the ‘Go for It’ Programme by March 2023.

142 qualifications were achieved up to January 2023 - Transport Academy (17), Health and Social Care Academy (11), Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy (105), Get into Childminding (9)

17 people have progressed into Further Education - Transport Academy (6), Health and Social Care Academy (11)

29 people have gained employment / selfemployment - Transport Academy (12), Health and Social Care Academy (6), Get into Childminding (9), RISE: Female Returners Programme (2)

88 jobs were promoted up to 31 December 2022.

45.4 weeks (April to September 2022).

Major Planning applications processed within an average of 30 weeks by March 2023.

While the target of 30 weeks has not been achieved, there has been a 6 week improvement on the figure of 51.4 weeks reported for April to June 2022.

Local Planning applications processed within an average of 15 weeks by March 2023.

70% of planning enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks by March 2023.

8 weeks (April to September 2022).

91.2% (April to September 2022).

Objective: ?