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| Local authorities request enhanced role in cutting youth unemployment | Local authorities request enhanced role in cutting youth unemployment |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Attempts to cut youth unemployment in England are being hampered by excessive bureaucracy and central government control, council leaders have said. | |
| The Local Government Association (LGA) said a "new local approach" would reduce youth unemployment by a fifth. | The Local Government Association (LGA) said a "new local approach" would reduce youth unemployment by a fifth. |
| In a report, the LGA said the present system was "overly complicated". | In a report, the LGA said the present system was "overly complicated". |
| But a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said there were "encouraging signs" that youth unemployment was on a downward trend. | But a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said there were "encouraging signs" that youth unemployment was on a downward trend. |
| According to the LGA's research, there are currently 33 different national schemes, covering 13 different age boundaries, costing £15bn a year. | According to the LGA's research, there are currently 33 different national schemes, covering 13 different age boundaries, costing £15bn a year. |
| More than 94,000 people completed hair and beauty courses last year, even though there were only 18,000 new jobs in the sector, it added. | More than 94,000 people completed hair and beauty courses last year, even though there were only 18,000 new jobs in the sector, it added. |
| By contrast, in construction, around 123,000 people were trained for around 275,000 advertised jobs. | By contrast, in construction, around 123,000 people were trained for around 275,000 advertised jobs. |
| The LGA's David Simmonds said: "Youth unemployment is a worrying trend for us all, particularly long-term youth unemployment which has doubled since 2008 and continues to grow. | The LGA's David Simmonds said: "Youth unemployment is a worrying trend for us all, particularly long-term youth unemployment which has doubled since 2008 and continues to grow. |
| 'Big challenge' | 'Big challenge' |
| "All the evidence in this report points to the success that local organisations, such as councils, businesses and education providers, can achieve when working together to ensure young people are given the very best chances to get into work or training, but this is being hampered by successive centrally-driven government approaches. | "All the evidence in this report points to the success that local organisations, such as councils, businesses and education providers, can achieve when working together to ensure young people are given the very best chances to get into work or training, but this is being hampered by successive centrally-driven government approaches. |
| "This has long been a major frustration for councils, who know their young people in their area and have a responsibility to look after their welfare. | "This has long been a major frustration for councils, who know their young people in their area and have a responsibility to look after their welfare. |
| "Councils are in a unique position and can play a pivotal role in identifying young people that are likely to slip into periods of long-term unemployment. But we need to be given the powers to prevent this happening and help equip future jobseekers with the skills, confidence and real-life experience they need to find work in their area." | "Councils are in a unique position and can play a pivotal role in identifying young people that are likely to slip into periods of long-term unemployment. But we need to be given the powers to prevent this happening and help equip future jobseekers with the skills, confidence and real-life experience they need to find work in their area." |
| The LGA concluded that councils should be the main commissioners of employment programmes for young people. | The LGA concluded that councils should be the main commissioners of employment programmes for young people. |
| The Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "Youth unemployment has been a big challenge for a decade but we've seen encouraging signs recently with the number of long-term unemployed young people falling last month. | The Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "Youth unemployment has been a big challenge for a decade but we've seen encouraging signs recently with the number of long-term unemployed young people falling last month. |
| "Through Jobcentre Plus we're already working locally with businesses and councils to help young people into work so unemployment continues to fall, and our Youth Contract will help nearly 500,000 young people over the next three years. | "Through Jobcentre Plus we're already working locally with businesses and councils to help young people into work so unemployment continues to fall, and our Youth Contract will help nearly 500,000 young people over the next three years. |
| "And this autumn we will launch a new Traineeship programme which help those who do not have the right experience or qualifications to get an apprenticeship or find a job." |