London,
10
October
2018
|
15:50
Europe/London

Camden Council successfully secures £3 million of London business rates pot to fund Camden skills project

A new recruitment and skills training centre at Euston, secured by Camden Council as part of its HS2 mitigation work, has been granted a further £3 million in funding thanks to a bid led by the council.

The Euston Recruitment Centre will be based on the site of the former Maria Fidelis School – located in close proximity to the HS2 construction site and providing immediate access to construction sector opportunities.

The centre has been granted £3 million in funding from the business rates retention scheme* currently being piloted in London, which enabled London government to keep the growth in business rates collected in the capital this year. Match funding is secured from HS2, Camden section 106 budgets and the resident training provider.

The Euston Recruitment Centre will deliver bespoke construction skills training developed in partnership with employers, general construction training, rail and engineering training opportunities, and will also pilot new building methods such as off-site manufacturing. This additional funding will enable the Council’s ambition to expand the offer at the centre, addressing wider employability and labour market challenges to support those furthest from the labour market into good and rewarding work. The centre will develop and implement a curriculum which delivers STEAM learning for the broad spectrum of skills required to for the 21st Century construction/built environment sector as well as more broadly for other employment opportunities likely to result from growth at Euston. The partnership includes Lendlease (HS2s’ Master Development Partner) and STRABAG / Costain / Skanska JV (Station and Tunnels main works civils) and other significant employers and education providers. The project is envisaged to begin in 2020 and aims to support 200 people into work and create 150 apprenticeships each year.

 

 

Councillor Danny Beales, Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities
I am delighted that Camden Council has been able to secure this vital funding – which is an example of business rates generated in London being redistributed for the benefit of local communities in the capital.

The Euston Recruitment Centre is being created to ensure that the borough effectively mitigates some of the negative impacts of HS2 construction. The centre will be a major resource for employment support, job brokerage and skills training both in Camden and across London.

“It will help deliver on our commitment to more inclusive growth. The centre will provide hundreds of apprenticeships and jobs in the construction and related sectors each year, particularly increasing the number of local people and under-represented groups supported into work
Councillor Danny Beales, Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities

Further information:

*In 2017, the Mayor, London’s 32 boroughs and the City of London Corporation established the London Business Rates Pool, with the agreement of central Government. This means London retains 100 per cent of any growth in business rates income over and above the business rates baseline set by Government for the financial year 2018/2019.

As part of the deal, 15 per cent of this extra funding, around £52 million, is being channelled to a Strategic Investment Pot. London Councils and the City of London Corporation convened a panel of senior officers from across London to consider bids for this funding from across the capital.