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The leader of Islington Council has been speaking of the challenges ahead, as he takes up his new role in a group tasked with boosting adult jobs and skills across the capital.
Cllr James Kempton is one of nine new members and the only council leader appointed to the London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB)
Chaired by London Mayor Boris Johnson, the Board provides leadership to improve prospects for adult job seekers and includes top London business leaders, large employers, small businesses, education specialists, local authorities and union representation.
Cllr Kempton said: Getting Islington back to work is one of the councils - and my own - personal objectives. I believe its vitally important that in this economic downturn we work even harder to ensure that disabled people, those with children and those with long term health problems are not the first to be put out of jobs and the last to be taken on.
We want to bring our experience to the table to help the rest of London. Islington faces all the challenges of a diverse inner city borough, with extremes of wealth and poverty living side by side - yet we've managed to overcome great hurdles and many residents are being equipped with the skills they need for a bright future."
Cllr Kempton is one of only two politicians to serve on the Board. The other is London mayor Boris Johnson.
Mr Johnson said: I am fully focused on ensuring London pulls through the current economic downturn, emerging stronger than ever and retaining its position as a leading world city. To achieve this we must ensure that Londons employers have access to the skills they need, which is particularly important in more challenging economic times.
The Boards purpose is to develop and oversee the implementation of a Skills and Employment Strategy for London. It also provides strategic direction of the Learning and Skills Councils adult Skills budget in London (approx. £600m per year), and influences the spend of other key delivery organisations including the London Development Agency and JobcCentre Plus.
The Board is a statutory body and has been established to bring private sector expertise and the Mayors leadership to the adult skills agenda with a view to improving skills and employment outcomes.
