Useful Links

Government Office for the South West

Government Offices work with regional partners and local people to help deliver the Government's central aims - to achieve high and stable levels of growth and employment, and to build an inclusive and prosperous society that can develop in a sustainable way. They directly manage spending programmes on behalf of departments and oversee budgets and contracts delegated to regional organisations, as well as carrying out regulatory functions.

South West Regional Development Agency

The South West of England Regional Development Agency's most important role is to ensure the long-term economic success of the region, by promoting the right skills among its workforce, the most innovative businesses, and a high quality environment.

European Social Fund (ESF) information

European Funding programmes (SW)

For information on co-financing in general and ‘alternative’ bidding rounds in particular, please see theGovernment Office SW website

European Social Fund - national site

Synopsis of projects currently running

South West Regional Observatory.

The SW Regional Observatory was set up by a partnership of regional bodies to share the production, analysis and dissemination of intelligence and research related to regional policy in the South West of England. It is made up of five thematic modules, seven local intelligence networks and a coordinating core unit.

The South West Observatory has produced a document State of the South West which is a comprehensive reference guide to social, economic and environmental characteristics of the region.

Learning and Skills Councils:

The Learning and Skills Councils are responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England (other than in Universities). They work alongside Jobcentre Plus, the Small Business Service, Connexions, the National Training Organisations, further education and sixth form colleges, and representatives of community groups, to understand, define and then meet training and education needs.

The LSCs in the South West are:

• Devon and Cornwall
• Dorset and Somerset
• Gloucestershire
• West of England
• Wiltshire and Swindon

Local Government Association

The LGA exists to promote better local government. They work with and for member authorities to realise a shared vision of local government that enables local people to shape a distinctive and better future for their locality and its communities. The LGA aims to put local councils at the heart of the drive to improve public services and to work with government to ensure that the policy, legislative and financial context in which they operate, supports that objective.

Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the South West

The TUC has 70 affiliated unions representing nearly seven million working people from all walks of life. They campaign for a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad. They negotiate in Europe, and at home build links with political parties, business, local communities and wider society.

The TUC's regional staff represent the TUC by supporting TUC campaigns and objectives and seeking the views of trade unions in the regions.

Citizens Advice Bureau
The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.

Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.

National Labour Market Links

Alternative Points of Contact

Below is a list of national websites and helpline numbers that may be of use to partners requiring labour market or statistical information and are unsure of where to start looking.

Jobcentre Plus is not responsible for the contents or reliability of these web sites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them.

Labour Market Information

www.statistics.gov.uk
Contains a link to the Neighbourhood Statistics site where you can compare statistics on crime, health, employment and the population in your ward or local authority area. Select your area with clickable maps, postcode and text searches.

www.nomisweb.co.uk/
This website is where we access most of our statistical information. It includes claimant count, Labour Force Survey data, on-flows, off-flows, wage information etc for a wide variety of geographies from ward and postcode to UK. Although it’s free to use, you will be given a password and username. This takes approximately 24 hours to come through.

www.dwp.gov.uk/
At the top of the home page click on the Resource Centre File – then select ‘Research, analysis and Statistics from the menu. Choose Information and Analysis and statistics. This contains a number of downloadable documents containing the department’s official statistics; the figures are usually quarterly and national.

Education

www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/
Analytical Services produce a wide range of statistics covering education, training and life-long learning, many of which form part of National Statistics. This site includes links to external websites.