Visits

 Minister launches unique training partnership in East Midlands

Phil Hope MP, Regional Minister for the East Midlands, has visited Derby-based Rolls-Royce to launch a major partnership offering thousands of employers in the region access to skills training.

The launch, on Monday 10th March, was organised by the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils, and attended by skills partners and East Midlands' employers. 

The Train to Gain Protocol is a partnership between 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils, the Learning and Skills Council, the East Midlands Development Agency and East Midlands Business Ltd.  Partners are working together to ensure Train to Gain reaches employers, develops employees workforce skills, and strengthens business productivity.

The Minister, who announced that skills was a top priority in his role as a ambassador for the East Midlands, said:

 "Train to Gain is a demand led system and all the partners involved and employers need to ensure the East Midlands gets its fair share of the available advice, training and funding.  There are excellent training providers in the region but many learners leave the region to get better paid jobs and this is an area that needs to be addressed by employers and partners."

Richard Beamish, Chief Executive of Asset Skills, spoke on behalf of the Sector Skills Councils:

"The Sector Skills Councils are delighted to see this Protocol put in place as it leads the way for us to work even closer with employers to help them help themselves in growing their businesses."

Employers were also invited to sign up to a Skills Pledge to show their commitment to provide ongoing training and support for employees in obtaining qualifications.

The LSC who promote the Train to Gain and Skills Pledge initiatives was represented by Tony Belmega, Skills Development Director: "Train to Gain has been extremely successful in reaching nearly 4,000 employers in the region but there are still thousands more that aren't accessing the available training resources and funding.  The Train to Gain Protocol is a significant step forward in reaching more employers and will enable the relevant partners to respond quickly to employer needs in delivering the best possible training for staff."

Published 1 April 2008

 

East Midlands Minister celebrates success of neighbourhood policing strategy

Minister for the East Midlands Phil Hope today went on patrol with his local neighbourhood policing team as the Government met its promise to have a team in every area by April 2008.

Today also saw the launch of a new Policing Pledge that will agree a set of minimum standards for policing and give people a greater say and influence over how their streets are policed.

Visiting the Safer Communities Team at the Kingswood Estate in Corby, the Minister said:

“I am delighted to say that every neighbourhood in the East Midlands now has its own policing team dedicated to tackling local problems. Three years of hard work by forces across the region means every household from Corby to Cleethorpes and from Worksop to Wellingborough has a local team with a name and phone number.

“Our experience in Corby shows just how well neighbourhood policing works. Since the scheme was introduced here crime has fallen dramatically, with burglaries down 43 per cent and robberies down 68 per cent. And residents are getting to know their dedicated officers – 64 per cent of people here know who their local officers are.”

From today, every household across the East Midlands will have a dedicated neighbourhood policing team to help to solve local problems – contactable by phone or through community meetings. Contact details are now available online at www.direct.gov.uk/neighbourhoodpolicing.

The new policing pledge, to be introduced later this year, will set out a national standard of what people can expect from their neighbourhood policing team.

The standards could include arranging to visit at a convenient time, regular reporting on the progress of detecting a crime, how a victim of crime is treated and supported, and how and when local crime information is provided to the public.

Neighbourhood policing teams will also be working with communities to set local priorities – whether it’s tackling anti-social behaviour, drugs or alcohol related crime for example. By drawing up local policing pledges, local people will have a real say over how their streets are policed.

This new approach is part of the Government’s wider reform of policing and coincides with the start of new Public Service Agreements which set out the Government’s clear commitment to focus policing around local priorities, as well as continuing to tackle serious crime.

Published 1 April 2008

 

Phil Hope meets young people at Groundwork Projects

 

Phil Hope, Minister for the East Midlands, was able to join young people from the Oakley Vale estate in Corby for a game of tennis, thanks to a programme of coaching organised by local volunteers and the environmental charity Groundwork. 

The coaching took place on the Multi Games Area which was set up in 2006 to provide Oakley Vale residents with access to sport, play, skills and training. Many of the young people participating in coaching courses are also working towards achieving their Community Sports Leader coaching qualification.

The Minister was also able to see how Groundwork supports the local community through another imaginative project, the Green Patch in Kettering. Once a field of unused allotments troubled by antisocial behaviour, this area of land has now been transformed into a working project allowing local residents to grow organic food - generating 40 - 60 boxes produce a week. Green Patch is also an invaluable educational resource for local schoolchildren.

Having seen the success of these two schemes first-hand, Phil Hope said:

"It is fantastic to see how Groundwork projects such as this one can benefit local communities and help rejuvenate the area in which they live."

Published 1 March 2008