WATCH: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor says 'gauntlet' has been thrown down to tackle youth unemployment

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor Nik Johnson says the gauntlet has been thrown down to county leaders by the Government to deliver better work training for young people.

His comments came after Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough would be one of eight youth trailblazers across the country that would receive Government cash to fund its work.

Mayor Johnson told the Peterborough Telegraph: “What we have seen from the Secretary of State is the throwing down of the gauntlet to local politicians to deliver skills training, access to education, apprenticeships and working with businesses and all provider of education to make a real difference to young people’s lives.

"The Government has put money aside and we’re expecting announcements soon.

"As a trailblazer we’ll be able to build on our experience and help even more young people get on in life.

"Through local knowledge and partnerships we can deliver real opportunities that change lives, providing access to invaluable education, training, and work, and the independence, purpose, and sense of achievement that come with it.”

The trailblazers project is one of the ideas in a £240 million national package of reforms to help more people out of economic inactivity and into employment unveiled by Ms Kendall during a visit to Peterborough College.

They form part of the Government’s new Get Britain Working White Paper which also includes a new ‘Youth Guarantee’ where every 18-21-year-old in England will have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or help to find a job.

Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes said: “We want to make Peterborough the best place in the country to do an apprenticeship.

"To have the minister in our city meeting employers and apprentices and the college to understand how we can do that better is really important.

He said: “Labour’s new youth guarantee will ensure some of those young people in the city who can’t get a job or get the training will now have provision to do that.

"The Government’s backing that up with new money and investment into Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.”