Council chief tells of aim to prevent more people being 'held back'

As leader of South Tyneside Council, and through my role with the North East Combined Authority, I believe everyone should have the chance of a good, meaningful job.

It shouldn’t matter where you start in life or what challenges people have faced – everyone deserves a fair shot at building a secure future.

Right now, many people in our borough are being held back by things outside their control. Some live with long-term health conditions or are caring for family members. Others lack confidence after years away from the workplace.

And in some families, unemployment has passed from one generation to the next.

These are tough barriers to face alone, which is why the right support at the right time matters so much. We know the scale of the challenge.

Our unemployment claimant count is 4.8% – 4,375 residents, higher than both the regional and national averages.

At the same time, the local jobs market is tightening.

Between November 2025 and January 2026, there were an average of just over 11 vacancies per 1,000 working-age people, and the number of unique job postings dropped across all five of our most common occupations.

These pressures underline why we must do more – and do it together.

That shared purpose drove our Economic Inclusion Summit this month, where more than 60 organisations from the public, voluntary, health and employment sectors came together and spent the day looking honestly at the barriers residents face and the changes we need to make if we truly want to build a more joined up employment and skills system.

We also talked about the importance of prevention, stopping people from falling out of work in the first place, and how a simple ‘no wrong door’ approach could make the system far easier to navigate.

What encouraged me most was the level of commitment from partners.

They pledged to simplify processes, so residents aren’t asked for the same information repeatedly, expand training for frontline staff, strengthen support for volunteers, and push for better skills funding for 18 year olds.

National departments also need to work more closely together so local areas like ours aren’t left trying to stitch different schemes into a coherent whole.

Alongside the summit work, we are investing directly in tailored support for residents.

We’ve secured nearly £2million from North East Mayor Kim McGuinness for our Connect to Work programme, which will help 375 people into sustained employment over the next five years.

This is targeted, practical help for those who need it most.

Helping people grow their confidence, build skills and take the steps needed to move into long-term work.

We’re already seeing what this approach can achieve. Take Jack Duggan, for example. You may have seen him on some of our promotional materials around the borough.

Jack first came to us through Jobcentre Plus and then moved into South Tyneside Works, where he was supported to build his confidence and improve his skills.

He went on to secure a pensions apprenticeship at the council, where he is now thriving.

His journey shows what is possible when someone gets personalised support at the right moment – and when employers are prepared to give local people a chance.

But Jack’s story also highlights why we must do more for our young people.

Our NEET – not in education, employment of training – rate has risen, and we now have more than 200 young people aged 16–18 who are in that situation.

That’s a stark figure and a reminder that early help, clear pathways and strong employer links are vital if we’re going to make sure every young person has the chance to thrive.

Our wider employment work also supports the Youth Unemployment Motion agreed by council.

We are asking local businesses to ‘look local’ when recruiting, so more opportunities benefit residents.

That is a fundamental strand to our South Tyneside Pledge work and, through the North East CA Trailblazer deal, we are joining up systems so that national, regional and local support works together rather than in silos.

This is, at its heart, about fairness.

Every resident – and that includes those with disabilities, young people without support at home, adults caring for relatives, and people who have been out of work for a long time – should have the same opportunity to build a stable, secure life.

The insights and commitments from the summit will now feed directly into our next steps.

We will strengthen early help pathways, improve employer engagement, simplify access to services and make better use of funding and community assets.

Together, these actions will help us build a more connected, trauma informed, resident focused system.

In South Tyneside, we believe in removing barriers, not reinforcing them.

We believe in opportunity, not circumstance.

And with the right support, and the right partnership, no one should be left behind.

*Whether you’re looking for your next opportunity, or you can offer one, we want to hear from you.

Visit www.southtynesideworks.com.