The LLEP Careers Hub has been praised by careers leaders in a report setting out its impact – with value placed on the Hub’s practical approach to supporting local schools and colleges. The Careers Hub, which is part of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), was established in 2018 with 20 trailblazer schools and colleges. It now works with all of the 91 secondary schools and colleges in its city and county. The LLEP commissioned an independent report from Little Lions Research to coincide with the Hub’s third anniversary and research progress and impact made in careers provision at the original group of 20 schools. It has now concluded that the Hub is valued by partners and stakeholders for its joined-up approach, providing strategic direction to local schools and colleges, and providing help with funding and peer networks. Careers leaders were also positive about insights provided by the Hub into the local labour market, as it enabled them to design programmes relevant to the local economy. Data shows that the LLEP Careers Hub was ahead of national averages in five of eight performance benchmarks when research was conducted at the start of the year. There have been particular gains made in publishing careers programmes on school websites, involving governors in careers, and giving pupils meaningful encounters with FE colleges. But the report notes that challenges remain, with four in five careers leaders reporting that they continued to face at least one barrier to further progress. The three biggest challenges cited were lack of staff time, lack of funds and difficulties in tracking activities. Andy Reed OBE, interim chair of the LLEP Board, said: “The report is really encouraging and shows the positive impact that strategic planning of careers resources is having in schools and colleges across our region. “We know that there is more to be done and that the disruption of the Pandemic forced changes. However, it’s great to read about the value our careers leaders are placing on the Careers Hub’s offer. “The Careers Hub is spearheading a joined-up approach, offering support with funding, and providing young people and careers leaders with genuinely useful information about the local labour market.” Enterprise Advisers (EAs) are one of the ways that the Careers Hub is helping shape how schools and colleges embed practical labour market information and opportunities into their careers programmes. EAs are industry volunteers who go into schools to offer the benefit of their first-hand experience of what industry really needs. The report notes that 79% of careers leaders surveyed found the support and advice provided by local EAs to be useful and the LLEP is currently recruiting 10 more business representatives to act as volunteer EAs. Gerarde Manley, LLEP Careers Hub manager, said: “Commissioning an independent report has been a really useful exercise in tracking gains made in our original cohort as the Careers Hub has grown from 20 to 91 of our schools and colleges. “The report contains several recommendations for making further progress and these have been mapped to our strategic plan through to March 2023 and beyond. “As a Careers Hub, we will continue to build capacity and listen to stakeholder feedback as we play our part in delivering the LLEP’s strategic priority of making Leicester and Leicestershire more inclusive for all.”

Nottingham City Council has published the outcome of its consultation into the future of Victoria Indoor Market. The consultation was carried out between April and June this year after the council’s Executive Board agreed in January to review future options for the market’s operation, putting forward a proposal to end the lease. The Victoria Indoor Market has been operating for over 50 years with significant council investment of £400,000 in the food hall in 2012. For many years the council has heavily subsidised the market’s operation – with the ongoing subsidy costs over the remaining 50 years of the lease agreement estimated to amount to £39m. This includes considerable investment of up to £10m to enable the market to perform effectively. From 2015 costs outside the council’s control substantially increased and this, along with significant Government funding cuts to council grants and changes in shopping habits exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to the review. The six-week consultation was carried out online and through meetings with the public and traders, generating 630 responses. Findings show that most respondents (143) supported the council continuing to run, subsidise and invest (88) in the market. The next most popular option (85) was to establish a council-run market at an alternative location, while 53 agreed with the council’s proposals. Acting lead councillor for markets, Cllr Linda Woodings, said: “Our proposal to end the lease would save estimated running costs of £39m over the remaining 50 years of the current agreement, helping us to meet our duty to deliver value for money for local taxpayers. “As expected, feedback from the consultation showed there is a great deal of affection for the market, with many respondents wanting the council to continue the market’s operation and subsidy and to carry out further investment. “We have considered the feedback from the public, traders and the landlord. Following a review of the options in light of the consultee responses, the council’s officers are likely to recommend the council ends its lease and operation of the Victoria Market. We understand this would be a huge disappointment not only for customers and the wider public, but especially for traders at the market. “We will now embark on further engagement with all traders and the landlord, before a final recommendation is made to councillors for a decision.”

A senior estimator at Northamptonshire’s Bhangals Construction Consultants, has scooped a much-coveted bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022. Kieran Rollings, 22, took third place for England in the Lawn Bowls contest, which saw him play alongside his partner – the aptly named Craig Bowler – at Royal Leamington Spa as part of the competition, which was watched across the world. It is the second time that the athlete, who lives in Kettering, has competed in the Commonwealth Games, becoming the youngest ever Lawn Bowls participant in 2018, when the event was held on the Gold Coast in Australia. 2018 was also the year that he started his role at construction consultancy Bhangals. Kieran said: “My colleagues have been so supportive and are really proud of what I’ve achieved. Everyone wanted to see the medal when I came into the office! It’s the second Commonwealth Games for me and to come away with a bronze on home soil is pretty good! I’m super proud. “In a sport like ours, we don’t get a lot of funding so we all have to work. Funnily enough, a lot of the England team are in construction and we worked out that between us all we could build a house!” Kieran was inspired by his grandfather to take up Lawn Bowls in 2011, when he was looking for a hobby to fill his spare time. “I took up the sport and loved it from the first day I played,” said the medallist, who has been playing the sport internationally since 2015. The selection process for the national team begins 18 months before an event takes place. The nation’s finest are whittled down over the following months until the squad is a team of just four players. Kieran and Craig are this year’s top two. “It’s so nice to be selected for a home game,” said Kieran. “It doesn’t come round very often. It is an honour, a privilege, and a source of great pride. To compete for your country is unbelievable. There is enormous pressure to do well but you are representing your whole nation. We had the whole country behind us, and I was so proud to be out there.” Bhangals Construction Consultants Managing Director Parm Bhangal said: “Kieran winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games is an incredible achievement, especially at such a young age. Kieran is a highly valued, hardworking member of the Bhangals team who always strives to do well. We are immensely proud of him and will continue to support all his athletic ambitions with great gusto.”