Norfolk County Council voted 73 to 0 to adopt a motion calling on Cabinet to establish a dedicated strategic group to tackle youth unemployment across the county, with a focus on 16 to 24-year-olds.

The group will bring together schools, colleges, employers, district councils, the NHS, the voluntary sector, and the Department for Work and Pensions. The aim is to ensure young people at risk of becoming NEET are identified early and offered a clear pathway into work, training, or further education.

Councillors heard that Norfolk currently performs better than the national average at identifying young people at risk — the county's "activity not known" figure stands at 0.8%, compared to 2.2% nationally. However, data on 19 to 24-year-olds who are NEET remains largely unknown at local authority level, with Norfolk likely to exceed the national average of 15.2%.

The Milburn review, which informed the motion, found that young people often fall through the gaps because no single agency takes responsibility for keeping them connected to education or work. The motion notes that North Norfolk has an economic inactivity rate of 30% and Great Yarmouth 26%, among the highest in the county.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and SEND has also been asked to write to the Secretaries of State for Education and Work and Pensions, seeking government support for Youth Guarantee schemes tailored to counties with significant rural challenges like Norfolk.

A cross-party working panel of councillors and officers will examine the findings of the Milburn review. The new strategic group must report back to the relevant scrutiny committee within six months of being formed.

The motion was proposed by Cllr Dave Thomas and carried in amended form after a Reform UK-backed amendment was adopted by 46 votes to 31.