Issue - meetings

To update Cabinet on the progress of the Essex Anchors initiative, including specific work relating to the District of Tendring.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    notes the progress of the Essex Anchor initiative across Greater Essex to date;

(b)    supports the anchor approaches and pledges, as highlighted in Appendix A to item A.10 of the Report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder, acknowledging the ethos is already in place across the Council;

(c)    formally recognises Tendring District Council as an Anchor Organisation seeking to maximize social value through their role as workforce developers, employer and procurer, through its core business and linkages to the place they operate; and

(d)    commits to continuing to embed the ethos through existing and new policies, procedures and initiatives within the resources and capacity available.

Cabinet considered a report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.10), which updated it on the progress of the Essex Anchors initiative, including specific work relating to the District of Tendring.

It was reported that Anchor organisations were usually large organisations which were locally based and had the leverage to maximise social value through their role as workplace developers, employers and procurers, their core business (for example health and education) and the linkages they had to the place they operated. They were typically large, non-profit organisations such as hospitals, local Councils and universities.

Members were informed that, over the past 18 months, 30 Anchor organisations had come together across Greater Essex to work collaboratively on a number of priorities including Climate Action, Employability and Social Value.

Cabinet was made aware that the Chairman of the Essex Anchors Initiative was TDC’s Chief Executive (Ian Davidson) and the Vice Chairman was Ed Garratt, the Chief Executive of the North East Essex/Suffolk Integrated Care Board.

Recognising that the work of the Essex Anchors Initiative had made progress in the areas of Employability, Climate Action and Social Value; that there were also plans in place for the future development of the Anchors’ work; and that the Anchors’ work was already showing success, including additional funding being pooled to deliver apprenticeships (£1m), fuel poverty training for front line employees, reverse job fairs and active travel:-

It was moved by Councillor McWilliams, seconded by Councillor P B Honeywood and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    notes the progress of the Essex Anchor initiative across Greater Essex to date;

(b)    supports the anchor approaches and pledges, as highlighted in Appendix A to item A.10 of the Report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder, acknowledging the ethos is already in place across the Council;

(c)    formally recognises Tendring District Council as an Anchor Organisation seeking to maximize social value through their role as workforce developers, employer and procurer, through its core business and linkages to the place they operate; and

(d)    commits to continuing to embed the ethos through existing and new policies, procedures and initiatives within the resources and capacity available.