Implementation Support for Cheshire and Warrington Fair Employment Charter

Reporting to the Cheshire and Warrington local authorities the role of Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington (ECW) is to support Cheshire and Warrington's elected members to make C&W the healthiest, most sustainable inclusive and growing place in the country by • providing strategic economic planning • delivery of key government programmes • ensuring that a strong, independent business voice is reflected in the advice ECW provides to elected members.

ECW was formerly known as the Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (C&W LEP). It is also responsible for promoting Cheshire and Warrington as a great place to visit, live, work, invest and study through Marketing Cheshire, which is an integral part of ECW and is designated by Visit England as the sub-region's Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP).

ECW are looking to procure implementation support for a Cheshire and Warrington Fair Employment Charter from a high-quality provider that delivers a service that is demonstrably focused on the needs of ECW.

Since 2022 partners in Cheshire and Warrington have been developing, consulting on and assessing the feasibility of implementing a Fair Employment Charter to encourage and support all employers across the subregion (regardless of size, sector or geography - including public, private and third sector) to implement actions that will improve employment standards, including the accessibility of good jobs, improve wages and living standards, reduce in-work poverty, and support health and wellbeing for employees across the area.

Between Spring and Summer of 2023, partners delivered a Fair Employment Charter consultation via a series of engagement events and an online survey. Since then, work has been underway to incorporate consultation feedback into plans for the Charter's development. We will shortly be seeking formal approval from all three Cheshire and Warrington Local Authorities to launch the Cheshire and Warrington Fair Employment Charter later this year, at Aspiring Entry Level for the first 12 months.

The next steps include securing additional capacity support (via this tender) to help implement the Charter, as well as going through formal Council approval processes. The aim is to be in a position to start accepting Aspiring Entry Level category applications in the autumn, following a launch event, and plan to share the updated charter and information for potential applicants following formal approvals.

The successful bidder will be required to deliver services in accordance with all tender documents and the contract to be placed with the successful bidder. Tenderers are requested to study the specification in detail and ensure that the specified requirements can be met and thus your understanding of our requirements is reflected in your Value for Money and Pricing Schedule return.

The contract is expected to commence 20th May, the exact dates to be agreed depending on the agreement between the successful provider and ECW.