Examination of Witnesses (Questions 60-69)
21 MARCH 2005
MR TREVOR
BEATTIE AND
MR ROB
PEARSON
Q60 Andrew Bennett: What
about the quality of the jobs?
Mr Beattie: The important thing
for us is to get the investment going and get jobs created in
the area. We obviously want jobs that are as high quality as possible
but English Partnerships' role and remit is not one of training;
our role and remit is to get these sites away, and we work particularly
with the RDAs in term of providing quality jobs on site. I think
it is always necessary to look at jobs that are appropriate on
particular sites. Let me take the example of Shirebrook and the
Sports World investment there. That has created 1,000 jobs of
all types for Shirebrook from very senior management jobs all
the way across the scale. The very interesting thing about Shirebrook
is that the current shortage there that we are hearing from the
local strategic partnership and from the local people we are consulting
is of HGV drivers. That is the serious need at Shirebrook. So
we are producing the jobs and we will fit the jobs to the sites.
Q61 Andrew Bennett: Now
what about the balance of the community? Are you getting enough
jobs for women and is that producing a balance within the communities?
If they tend to low paid, as far as families are concerned, if
they manage to get two low-paid jobs it certainly moves them up
the economic ladder, does it not?
Mr Pearson: Yes. It is important
to say that there is a range of jobs on most sites. Whereas Trevor
referred to one which is basically about distribution uses and
people with HGV driver skills, there are other examples. At Agecroft
Colliery in the north west there is a whole range of different
businesses on that site, and even Dinnington, where the reclamation
has only just been completed, the first occupier was a company
called Manor Motor Sports. Now there is great news that Johnson
Press have been signed up, so this will provide a range of jobs
across the whole family. Going back to the work that the Coalfield
Regeneration Trust are doing it is quite interesting that in Shirebrook's
case they identified that one of the obstacles to work was insufficient
child care places and we should be working with other agencies
to make certain that obstacles such as that are avoided.
Q62 Andrew Bennett: Lastly,
on the question of health, last time round we had a lot of evidence
on this question, that there were a lot of people, particularly
older people in the coalfields, in poor health for whom we were
not going to repair the damage by the industry to their health
but we could come up with palliative things like pain treatment.
How far are jobs being created in the coalfield areas in the Health
Service which are going to make the quality of life for people
who have worked there for many years better?
Mr Pearson: I am not sure I got
the full understanding of what we should be answering there but
the very important thing is that in terms of what we do on sites
it is not just about jobs for people who are fit and healthy.
Over 50% of the land is in open space uses and what we do is provide
a range of opportunities within that open space for general amenity,
pleasure and recreation.
Q63 Andrew Bennett: But
there are a lot of people with poor health, are there not?
Mr Beattie: Yes.
Q64 Andrew Bennett: Those
people would benefit from programmes of pain relief, physical
activity which helps with arthritis and those sorts of things,
so one thrust of creating jobs in these communities ought to be
in palliative health care.
Mr Beattie: That is absolutely
right but that is beyond the remit of English Partnerships. We
are a physical land regeneration agency. That is something we
will always need to carry forward with local partners with local
communities. What immediately springs to my mind is, for instance,
the work we do in the East Kent coalfield where, with the good
offices of SEEDA, there is an annual meeting that attracts a very
wide range of community and institutional attendees. One of the
interesting things about that annual meeting is that it used to
be about physical regeneration but over the last three years it
has shifted very much into education, training and health, exactly
the points you are describing. That model is going to be picked
up in the Forest of Dean.
Q65 Andrew Bennett: I
am not that excited about meetings. I am much more interested
in the outcome of the meetings. In many other parts of the country
where regeneration takes place things like gyms, those sorts of
activities, will be one of the new users of your sites, but as
far as the coalfields are concerned you are not really putting
much emphasis on getting people into your sites who are going
to look at palliative care.
Mr Pearson: Again, we work within
the local framework and part of what we are doing at this stage
is comparing notes earlier with local skills councils and Jobcentre
Plus as to what are the needs. What you are suggesting is that
there could be a more targeted approach to certain sectors and
we would be very happy to work with local partners in looking
at that targeting.
Q66 Mr Cummings: Can I
give you an example of what can be done? On the new site at Seaham
Harbour, on the site of Vane Tempest colliery, discussions have
taken place regarding incorporating the old Tempest Halls into
the new site with a whole range of activities within that site.
This is what Andrew is getting at. There is a template in existence
already. It just needs to be pursued with greater vigour, and
of course incorporating at all stages the local primary care trusts
which are extremely proactive in providing services to the local
community.
Mr Pearson: This is another very
good example where the Coalfield Regeneration Trust are working
with us because next door to Seaham, next door to Vane Tempest,
they have taken advantage of funds that are generated by the development.
They have been working with CISWO and others to look at refurbishment
of a hall in that area.
Mr Cummings: You are talking about a
hall in my village where all parties have come together and secured
the success of it. I believe the committee visited it.
Q67 Chairman: We did,
yes. Just before we close the session can I clarify the figures
you gave us? You say your target was to create 42,000 jobs by
2012.
Mr Pearson: Yes.
Q68 Chairman: You have
reported to us today that you have created 13,800.
Mr Pearson: Yes, to date.
Q69 Chairman: So your
target is to create 4,000 jobs a year for the next seven years?
Mr Pearson: Yes.
Mr Beattie: Except it will not
be an even spread of 4,000. The graph moves steeply upwards. Those
job creation outputs will be heavily weighted towards the later
years in the programme.
Chairman: Thank you for your evidence.
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