Bradford Council’s multi-million Get Bradford Working programme has been hailed as a flagship that other local authorities could learn from by a senior Labour minister.

Shadow Employment Minister Stephen Timms was in Bradford today to see first-hand how the programme worked and declared it a success.

The £7.7 million programme, the biggest local authority back-to-work scheme in the country, started in March to tackle youth unemployment.

The programme is made up of four elements: l the job creation fund l a routes-into-work scheme with 79 job starts so far l an apprenticeship training agency l industrial centres of excellence. The first centre of excellence will open in September and is a joint effort between Shipley College and Titus Salt School.

The Employment Opportunities Fund is the single biggest investment within Get Bradford Working at more than £4.5 million.

It is expected to create about 400 temporary jobs that will enable people to gain skills and experience.

They will be employed on 12-month contracts carrying out work that will benefit the community.

The fund will target 18 to 25-year-olds, those aged 50 or over and people with a disability or work-limiting health condition. The other partners in the scheme are social housing group Incommunities and Job Centre Plus.

Mr Timms said: “I have been very impressed. We have set up a Youth Jobs Taskforce with ten or 11 local authorities who are doing interesting things to tackle youth unemployment. It is a nationwide challenge to address the problem of youth unemployment “It looks to me that Bradford is doing things with apprentices and jobs for young people, and you wouldn’t find such an ambitious programme in many other places.

“Our centrepiece of tackling this issue as a Labour government would be the Youth Jobs Guarantee where a young person out of work for 12 months should be guaranteed a job, and they have three choices. We think that is the way to effectively deal with this whereas the Government’s current work programme is frankly a damp squib.

“Bradford recognises to tackle the problem you have to change what happens in the schools so young people are equipped for the demands of the workplace.”

Council leader Councillor David Green said: “We are not saying Bradford has all the answers, but need to look at other local authorities. We are always willing to listen and learn and I really think this is a refreshing thing happening. We know that what we are doing in Bradford is working in Bradford, but can it be improved? Yes.”