Jobs programme under microscope

WIGAN Council has hired a regeneration consultancy to assess its £20m strategy to improve residents’ skills and help them into work. 

Ekosgen, which has an office in Manchester, will look at whether the council’s programmes are hitting their mark in tackling worklessness, boosting local businesses and improving skills.

Wigan’s What Makes Wigan Work? strategy was launched last year, when levels of worklessness stood at around 30,000 – a high level compared to other local council areas. Around £21m over three years has been allocated by the government to support the strategy.

Councillor David Molyneux said: “Our strategy for tackling worklessness is bold and wide-ranging. The council is supporting a number of ambitious schemes in the months ahead.

“But we need to know these schemes are the right ones for Wigan Borough, and that they are succeeding in the aim of helping people back to work.”

Miranda Allan, Local Economic Partnership vice chair and president of Wigan Local Chamber Council, said: “Coming at a time when the pressure on businesses and employment levels is increasing, it is crucial that we are able to carry out this ongoing evaluation whilst the programme is being implemented.”

Ekosgen will evaluate the programmes by speaking with partners and service users, carrying out site visits and looking at performance statistics of individual schemes. The findings will be presented to the council early in 2011.