Proposals to create a strategic skills hub for Hull and East Riding will be shared with Hull City Council’s Cabinet.

In the plans, the hub would maintain core staff and focus on the future skills needs of employers.

It is anticipated that this could see benefits for the business community and employees across the whole region, as well as provide a ’go to’ structure for the various government departments involved in the skills agenda.

These proposals follow on from the government’s announcement in its latest budget of its intention was to withdraw support for Local Enterprise Partnerships from April 2024.

Both Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire Councils currently provide financial backing to the LEP, of £50,000 each per annum, to use as match funding to draw down Government Core Funding.

In previous years, Government Core Funding was £500,000 per annum for LEPs, which was reduced to £375,000 for 2022-23 and further cut to £250,000 for the year 2023-2024.

Cllr Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “Supporting the local economy with the skills needed to help businesses thrive is vitally important.

“The government announcements on changes to the Local Enterprise Partnerships requires the council to pick up important strands of work, particularly around skills.

“Hull has its challenges with skills levels and employment which the council has long-term commitments to address and, since so many residents either live in Hull or the East Riding and work in the other, it is also important to do so jointly with our neighbours at East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

“Making sure the business community has the confidence that this regional skills policy reflects its needs, rather than that determined by commercial providers or central government is essential.”