The Barnsley Partnership

Reviews the Barnsley Partnership, a joint venture involving Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and a subsidiary of Costain, and their ten‐year agreement to develop land local to Barnsley, attract investment and create approximately 10,000 jobs. Emphasizes the need for education and training to ensure that these jobs are filled by local people. Equally this will demand that the current nationally centralized training focus be adapted to local requirements in an attempt to widen skills and prevent a recurrence of the total dependence on a single living, previously enforced by the mining industry. Focuses on Costain′s approach to community involvement, mainly in education, the environment and urban regeneration. Sees the main objectives of the Partnership as winning the confidence and commitment of the community and changing the outside perception of Barnsley and its surroundings, identifying training as the chief requirement for this regeneration. Places emphasis on apprenticeship training vis‐à‐vis the recent shortcomings of Employment Training (ET) and the proven quality of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)′s model schemes. Examines the Barnsley Partnership′s commitment to involvement in the local community, epitomized by the Grimethorpe Activity Zone. Deals with Barnsley′s bid for funding to attack current problems. Points up the widening of the premiss of urban regeneration from mere property development to a time partnership of private, local government and community groups. Only through genuinely involving local people will time regeneration be achieved. Concludes that, after two years, a review is needed in order to move into a new phase of development and produce a coherent strategy.