Purpose

This report outlines the opportunity from government to develop and deliver a new skills programme, 'Multiply', aimed at boosting adult numeracy as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the successor programme to European Structural and Investment Funds.

The report describes the priorities for the Multiply programme and confirms that £5.9m has been allocated to Lancashire County Council for a three-year period from April 2022. The paper outlines the short-term requirement of an Investment Plan, which needs to be submitted to the Department for Education by the end of June 2022, and the ambition to view the programme as part of Lancashire's ambition to secure devolution through a county deal and new governance model, and government's push to devolve funds to local areas to drive 'Levelling Up' across a range of priorities, including skills and employment against local priorities.

A process is outlined in the report to develop the Investment Plan and to enable procurement of provision which will allow delivery to take place from September 2022 to March 2025.

This is deemed to be a Key Decision and the provisions of Standing Order C19 have been complied with.

Decision

The Cabinet approved the recommendation(s) as set out in the report.