Job creation plans by new Fleetwood partnership

Future Fleetwood is made up of representatives from the NHS, local authorities, DWP, housing, business, education, and the faith and community sector.

With high unemployment in the town seen as a key factor in other serious issues affecting the community, including low income and mental health problems, the partnership sees job creation as a crucial factor in getting the town back on its feet.

Dr Mark Spencer, chairman of Future Fleetwood, said the new initiative had been under development for around nine months.

The GP is also a founder of another influential project, Healthier Fleetwood and is involved in Covid-relief group Fleetwood Together, which has seen all sectors of the community pull together to help the most vulnerable people get food and essential supplies.

Dr Spencer said: “We have been holding weekly meetings by video conference since the start of the COVID emergency and initially this focused on supporting those in immediate need.

"The success of Fleetwood Together is a great tribute to the individuals and organisations involved, it perfectly demonstrates the way our community works in partnership.

"Future Fleetwood is about taking the same ‘can do’ approach and focusing on the challenges we face to revitalise the town as we move on from the pandemic.”

Several themes have been identified as the foundation for projects, beginning in early 2021 with job creation for young people through the Government-funded Kickstart programme, which provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.

The partnership will also be looking at a range of support for families new to unemployment as a result of the economic downturn and improving Fleetwood’s digital connectivity to generate investment and nurture business start-up opportunities.

Lancaster University is partnering Future Fleetwood, analysing data and recording the impact of the initiatives so the successes can be shared and developed.

Dave McPartlin, headteacher at Flakefleet Primary School, says the partnership's plans will help to generate much-needed positivity in the town.

He said. “Nobody is suggesting our troubles are over yet, these remain difficult times but there is also optimism and we need to be looking forward.

"We’ve seen what can be achieved when we encourage our children’s ambitions, Future Fleetwood is the whole Town daring to dream too.”