Partner Article

Minister sees how £10m fund helps region?s jobless

A government minister visited Durham on Monday to see how a £10 million programme aims to bring more than 1,600 jobs to the region over the next six months.

Department for Work and Pensions Minister Helen Goodman visited County Hall and learned at first hand how the government’s Future Jobs Fund scheme is creating more than 460 jobs in County Durham alone, as part of the Tyne and Wear City Region’s Future Jobs Fund bid.

Helen Goodman said: “The Future Jobs Fund is creating hundreds of new opportunities for young people and the long-term unemployed here in Durham so they gain skills and experience to help them onto the career ladder.

“Today I’ve seen how the strong partnership between local authorities in the North East is using the Future Jobs Fund to boost people’s job prospects.”

Councillor Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, and Ellen Foxton, Chief Executive of the East Durham Partnership, also met the minister during her visit.

Later in the day Ms Goodman was speaking at the County Councils Network annual conference in Durham City, where she was expected to talk to council bosses from all over the country about the ways that central and local government can work together to help people return to work.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .