Lib Dem Leader Disappointed by Council's 'Work Inexperience Programme'

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Apr 2009

Cllr Paul Morse pushing Norfolk County Council to take a more active role in work experience

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the County Council, Paul Morse has expressed his disappointment at the Conservative administration's failure to boost the number of work experience placements being offered by the Council. At Monday's Cabinet meeting Cllr Morse questioned whether the Council had increased the number of work experience placements being offered this academic year. The Liberal Democrats have long been pushing for the County Council to use its position as a large employer to offer more work experience placements.

"The Council is failing in its duties as an employer. It is a huge employer with a vast range of occupations represented, but its size is not being reflected in the number of work experience placements being offered to students. We have been pushing to allocate money to this area for a long time and I was delighted when in his 2008 Budget Speech, Daniel Cox pledged £50,000 to develop work experience yet the number of placements for Year 10 & 11 students have gone down not up. I don't understand how the money is being spent given the lack of results.

"It is crucial that the County Council continue to invest in work experience which will become even more important as the new 14-19 Diplomas are phased in. The Council should be leading from the front and acting as an exemplar to other employers. The impression I got was that they were doing nothing as an employer to support the Diplomas." stated Cllr Morse.