To consider the findings of the 18-35 Review Group following the Review of ‘How to retain 18-35 year olds in Herefordshire and attract them to it’.

The Committee considered the findings of the 18-35 Review Group following the Review of ‘How to retain 18-35 year olds in the County and attract them to it?’.

Nick Webster, Lead Officer for the Review, summarised the main findings of the Review to the Committee.  A copy of the Review Group’s final report was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

He explained that the Review Group had divided its work into six themes which it thought most significant on the 18-35 year old age range.  These themes were: Employment, Housing, Leisure, Education and Skills, Transport and Image.

Statistics from the Council’s Research Department informed the Review Group that Herefordshire was underrepresented in 15-24 year olds and over represented in the 50+ age ranges.  Each year the County suffered a net loss of 450 15-24 year olds who left the County.   This represented 3% of the 15-24 year old population.  However, this problem was not unique to Herefordshire.  For example Rutland, Malvern Hills, West Dorset and Kennet District Council’s all experienced a higher percentage of outward migration within the 15-24 year old range than Herefordshire.  In contrast to the overall loss of young people between 15-24, the County gained 200 people in the 35-39 year old age range.

One of the suspected main reasons for young people leaving the County was to take up a University place.  In order to investigate this suspicion further the Review Group gathered data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).  This revealed that the most popular Universities for Hereford residents were those nearby, for example Worcester, Gloucester, Newport and Bristol.  The statistics revealed that those students studying at a University close to Hereford were more likely to return to the County once they had finished their studies.  For example 61% of Herefordshire residents studying in Worcester returned to the County whereas only 14% returned from those who had studied in Cardiff.

The Review Group hosted a focus group of Herefordshire Council staff within the 18-35 age range which provided a further indication of the reasons young people decided to leave the County.

The factors encouraging young people to leave the County were many and varied with many of the issues raised during the Review related to central government policies or determined by national economic factors.  The Review Group concluded that there was no overall push factor but that a number of small changes could be made to improve the situation locally which would probably help to attract and retain more young people.

The Chairman supported the Review Group’s proposal that a number of small changes could make the difference to the County and commented on how similar the majority of the County’s pubs and clubs were and now there were no cafes open after 6.00 pm in Hereford City Centre.  He also commented how young people during the Review had stated that the County had an ‘old’ feel to it.  He drew Members attention to the sections of the report which highlighted the lack of graduate employment opportunities and the lower wages available in the County.

In response to a question the Committee was informed that it was not possible to establish a University of Herefordshire.  There was currently a surplus of University places in the Country so a new University would be unlikely to gain any support.  Therefore it was important that the Herefordshire Learning Village was fully supported and the range of Higher Education courses on offer there supported.

A Member commented that the Review Group’s report should be forwarded to AWM as a background paper for the development of the Regional Economic Strategy.

RESOLVED:

That:

(a) That young people are involved in the shaping of major regeneration schemes and developments, specifically looking at how these can incorporate their recreational, cultural, and employment needs.  This should include detailed and targeted inward investment promotion and working with property agents and developers to influence private investors and brand name companies.

(b)   Due to the over provision of University places generally within the Country, avenues exploring other methods of retaining and attracting college graduates and young people to Herefordshire are pursued.

(c)   Given that the figures demonstrate that there is an outflow of young people aged between 18 and 24, yet a net influx of people aged 25 to 35, available resources are concentrated on improving the County’s Social and Economic offer to this age group.

(d)   That the Business Start-Up programme is promoted to young people to support entrepreneurship within the age group.

(e)   That the Council continues a programme of affordable housing linked to major developments.

(f) the Executive’s response to the Review including an action plan be reported to the first available meeting of the Committee after the Executive has approved its response.