NEW apprenticeships could be created across York under new plans being considered this month.

Organisations with an annual wage bill of more than £3m legally have to set aside 0.5 per cent of their payroll to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment.

Any payments not used within 24 months are returned to government - but employers can transfer unspent apprenticeship levy funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses.

Cllr Andrew Waller, executive member for the economy and strategic planning, will be asked to agree to share un-allocated funds from the authority's Levy funding at his decision session on November 24.

Under the proposals, 20 per cent of any levy not allocated by the authority would be offered to other small businesses and charitable organisations.

That funding could be around £38,000 per month.

If agreed, that could be used to pay for training and assessments for new apprenticeship starts, helping local organisations to upskill their existing workforce or grow their business.

Other large employers are being urged to adopt the same approach, retaining more levy in the city

Cllr Waller said: “Apprenticeships could have a key role to play in helping the city’s economic recovery, especially if local organisations are able to help people retrain after losing their job, or take on young people, aged 24 and under, who are being particularly badly economically impacted by Covid.

“Sharing up to £38,000 per month of our unallocated Apprenticeship Levy would be another way the council could support businesses across the city, in addition to the existing package of impartial advice already available through York Apprenticeship Hub. I hope that more organisations across the city will consider sharing their unallocated levy locally to support local businesses, as well.”

For more information on apprenticeships, including the advice and support available in York, visit www.york.gov.uk/YorkApprenticeships