DD2579 Royal Docks Green Skills Programme

1.1 MD2338 approved expenditure of up to £212.5m for the Royal Docks EZ Delivery Plan to deliver an integrated and catalytic package of projects that are identified under the five strategic objectives of Place, Connectivity, Economy, Activation and Promotion. The MD delegates authority to the Executive Director of Housing and Land to approve, through DD forms, the income and detailed spending proposals for each project that is to be funded within the initial £212.5m expenditure budget envelope.

1.2 GL has secured ESF funding to deliver a London-wide programme of Green Skills training. They have approached the Royal Docks team (RDT) to be a partner, and to consequently focus some of their effort in the wider Royal Docks area with a specific focus on priority themes of green jobs and community wealth-building.

1.3 The EZ revenue funding of £130,000 is for a 50 per cent contribution to the cost of training 100 participants over two years. Training would last as long as 13 weeks (part-time), and courses are undertaken with a view to having a job outcome in mind. There is an expectation that this would directly lead to at least 35 jobs.

1.4 Typical sector target areas will include:

• the Construction Skills Certification Scheme; manual handling; environmental awareness; customer service; handling tools; handling small machinery

• sustainable drainage systems: specialisms leading to a Diploma in Sewerage and Drainage Operations

• mini-forests: soil preparation, plant recognition, plant maintenance

• green roofing: working at heights, substrates/green, potentially bio-solar installation

• public realm and parks – horticulture L1.

1.5 Supporting people into high-quality work is a stated priority for both the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham. London’s Recovery Missions (specifically ‘A New Deal for Young People’ and ‘Helping Londoners into Good Work’) and the Green Skills Programme (GSP) respond directly to these agendas. Pillar 3 of Newham’s Covid-19 Recovery Strategy states: “The Council will take action to ensure all residents are supported and enabled to access work and other opportunities in the new economy.” The GSP offers a clear tangible activity against this priority.

1.6 The GSP also contributes to the London Recovery Mission ‘A Green New Deal’ which aims to “tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and improve air quality by doubling the size of London's green economy by 2030 to accelerate job creation for all”. Pillar 6 of Newham’s Covid-19 Recovery strategy states: “We will become London’s greenest local economy.”

1.7 Working closely with Our Newham Work, local community groups and Jobcentre Plus, the programme will seek to recruit from the following priority groups: those not in education, employment or training; people with a disability; over 50s; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people; women; and unemployed and economically inactive people who are furthest from

2.1. Working closely with Our Newham Work, local community groups and Jobcentre Plus, the programme will seek to recruit 100 participants from priority groups into high-quality work. This is a stated priority for both the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham.

2.2. Both London Borough of Newham and Greater London Authority (GLA) have committed to increasing the green economy and accelerating job creation. The Royal Docks GSP will contribute to this by training 100 participants and the expectation is that at least 35 of these will enter into employment as a direct result of the training and experience they gain.

3.1. Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation

• advance equality of opportunity

• foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

Protected characteristics under section 149 of the Equality Act are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status.

3.2. The implications of this proposal have been assessed against the Public Sector Equality Duty, and it is considered that it will have a positive impact. Whilst progress has been made over the past decade in linking residents to emerging employment opportunities in Newham, significant inequality persists locally. No adverse implications for any group sharing a protected characteristic have been identified from this project; quite the opposite, since targeting the Royal Docks’ communities is part of the stated driver for this programme, as per the priority groups identified.

3.3. The Royal Docks EZ Delivery Plan projects are aimed at implementing a number of the Mayor’s policies such as the London Plan, A City for All Londoners, the Healthy Streets Approach, the Culture Strategy, the London Housing Strategy and the Transport Strategy. It is aligned with the Mayor’s Equalities Framework to consider the requirements of relevant equalities groups. Impact assessments will determine whether any persons with protected characteristics will be unduly impacted by the activities described in this paper, and by the course of action undertaken in order to mitigate any impacts.

3.4. The London Borough of Newham’s Community Wealth-Building Strategy ensures that growth in the borough:

• is shared locally and held democratically

• builds on internal strengths and opportunities

• realises the

4.1. In addition to the above, this programme will also help deliver the following Mayoral policies and strategies:

• The Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Strategy

• The Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Inclusive London

• The Mayor’s London Health Inequalities Strategy

• The Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy for London

4.2. There are no known conflicts of interest to declare for those involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision.

4.3. Key risks

5.1 This decision requests approval of revenue expenditure of up to £130,000 from the Royal Docks Economy budget to be awarded as grant funding to GL to deliver on the ESF GSP.

5.2 The expenditure will be funded from the £212.5million Royal Docks EZ Delivery Plan Budget (MD2338) and will be incurred in 2022/23.

6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Executive Director in accordance with their delegated authority granted under MD2338 concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers; falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development and the improvement of the environment in Greater London; and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

• pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;

• consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and

• consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2 In taking the decisions requested, the Executive Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Executive Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.3 Section 1 above indicates that the contribution of £130,000 to Groundwork London amounts to the provision of grant funding and not payment for services. Officers must ensure that the funding be distributed fairly, transparently, in accordance with the GLA’s equalities and with the requirements of section 12 of the Authority’s Contracts and Funding Code.

6.4 Furthermore, officers must ensure that an appropriate funding agreement be put in place between and executed by the GLA and the recipient before any (a) commitment to fund is made; and (b) funding is paid to the recipient.