Councillor Cresswell (Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships) provided the following update:

a)    PCC had been shortlisted for four awards from the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards;

b)    PCC were helping individuals secure meaningful sustainable employment by combining tailored workplace experiences, personalised coaching and classroom learning;

c)    In two years, the supported internships had expanded from nine to 56;

d)    Through Skills Launchpad Plymouth, PCC were transforming how they supported people into work. The intelligence-led, person-centred skills system brought together over 80 public, private and voluntary services to create a multi-agency response;

e)    Rising youth unemployment was being tackled by the Youth Hub by engaging directly with young people, listening to their challenges and providing targeted support;

f)     Both PCC’s supported internship programmes and Skills Launchpad had been shortlisted for the LGC awards;

g)    Five Plymouth primary schools had been announced as early adopters for free breakfast clubs for primary school age children;

h)    The new Government had introduced free breakfast clubs, the benefits of which were:

i) Wraparound care for children;

ii) Parents were able to go to work, training or education knowing their children were provided for;

iii) Parents would save around £450 per year per child, helping tackle the cost of living crisis;

i)     The Plymouth primary schools selected were: St Joseph’s, St Peters, Pilgrim Primary, Widey Court Primary and Pennycross Primary;

j)     City College Plymouth had been awarded the 2024/25 Association of Colleges Beacon Award for Digital Innovation;

k)    By streamlining lesson observations, peer review and deep dives the College enabled their lecturers to focus on delivering outstanding learning experiences;

l)     Congratulations were extended to City College Plymouth for their hard work and dedication.

Councillor Laing (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Culture and Communications) provided the following update:

m)  From 01 April 2025, Plymouth care leavers aged 18 to 25 would be entitled to free prepaid prescription certificates;

n)    A total of £4 million of investment was implemented to three youth centres.

Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport) provided the following update:

o)    Events at The Box and the Dazzle event at the Market Hall had been well received in Devonport, and it was beholden of PCC to ensure arts history was inclusive of everyone.

Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) provided in the following update in the absence of Councillor Dann (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR&OD):

p)    The £4 million refurbishment at the Mount Batten Centre had started and was funding by the National Lottery’s Levelling Up Fund, and PCC’s own resources;

q)    Through the NMP there was a new vision for the Mount Batten Centre as an anchor institution for the NMP and the Mount Batten peninsular and the project would see the centre transformed with a new internal design, modern Sports England compliant changing facilities and a new bistro; 

r)    The Mount Batten Tower would remain open to the public throughout the refurbishments;

s)     The project would take most of 2025 and would reopen in 2026, however the centre would continue to offer a limited programme of water activities throughout this period.