Harrogate Borough Council has signed up to 5-3-1, Leeds City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership’s first business-to-business campaign to increase investment in skills and ensure those out of work are equipped to compete in the labour market.
The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) aims to have 1000 businesses signed-up by the end of 2012 and Harrogate Borough Council has become one of the first local authorities to sign up.
The council is one of 11 councils which make up the Leeds City Region and Harrogate’s Leader, Cllr Don Mackenzie, has welcomed the campaign.
Cllr Mackenzie added:
I would like to congratulate the Leeds City Region LEP on what is a straightforward campaign that invites companies to commit to one or more of the five actions. If we want our businesses to succeed and our economy to flourish, signing up to this campaign is an absolute must. We will be encouraging other businesses in the Harrogate district to get on board.
Neil McLean, Chair of the Leeds City Region LEP says:
I am delighted to launch our first business to business campaign to actively encourage improvements in skills and employment. The figures speak for themselves, we need to invest more in people, increase our productivity and help our businesses grow.
It only takes a small commitment to make a big change. For instance, if we increase our employment productivity by one per cent, that will result in growing our economy by £1 billion every year. The potential is immense and the time has come to forge ahead.
Business representatives from across the Leeds City Region will be talking to business groups over the coming months with a view to getting 1000 businesses of any size and sector to commit to one or more of the following actions:
- Doing more to invest in skills
- Enhancing links with education
- Offering a work placement to an unemployed person
- Offering an apprenticeship
- Mentoring a budding entrepreneur
Jobcentre Plus, National Apprenticeship Service and the Skills Network will be supporting businesses to take action where needed.
For more information on the campaign and a full list of its supporters please visit www.leedscityregion.gov.uk/fivethreeone.htm
