Responding to the Chancellor's statement yesterday, Cllr Georgia Gould, Deputy Chair of London Councils and Executive member for Skills and Employment, said:
“Investment in meaningful measures to support jobs, businesses and local economies is crucial to enable us to continue to manage Covid-19 in our communities and move toward recovery. Yesterday’s statement from the Chancellor was a good start with initiatives to help businesses, support those out of work back into the jobs market and investment that acknowledges the need for a green-led economic recovery.
“We will need to go further and faster and empower local government if we are to truly mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on our economies. We need a far more comprehensive plan for green capital investment with a focus on making the way we live, work, and travel more sustainable, and supporting London’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030.
“We also need stronger action to prevent a lost generation and address the inequalities this crisis has further exposed. Whilst the investment Government has made in young people is welcome, it is crucial that this match the investment in supporting adults back into the job market and that we have a long-term plan for supporting young people to get skills and get jobs in growing industries that help them make their contribution to our national recovery.
“Despite a decade of austerity, councils have been at the heart of our national response to this crisis, working with the voluntary sector to protect the most vulnerable and our communities. We need a place-based recovery that puts councils and local communities at its heart – connecting people to learning and jobs, and making sure investment in industries, sectors and businesses transforms local economies. London boroughs stand ready to work with the Chancellor and the Government to support our citizens, our businesses and our communities."
ENDS