TEST VALLEY Borough Council can now help construction companies.

The news comes after Test Valley Borough Council applied to the Construction and Industry Training Board to become an official national skills academy.

This means that the council can now can now work with construction companies, schools and colleges around the area to offer training.

As well as this, it also also enables the authority to require developers hoping to build in the borough to fulfil seven categories. They include a certain number of work placements, new jobs that will be created by the development and qualifications that will be gained by the workforce.

Economic development and tourism portfolio holder, councillor David Drew, said: “I am very pleased that the council’s application has now been approved. It means that we are one of only a few local authorities across the county with this accreditation, enabling us to work more closely with developers throughout the borough to get more out of the developments.

“Being able to team up with schools and colleges to support them by ensuring developers can recruit people with the right skills is a brilliant step forwards for everyone.”

Laurence Stone, CITB Manager for Hampshire, said: "National Skills Academy for Construction status makes a real difference to an area in helping to train local people into construction jobs, including through apprenticeships. We're delighted to be working with Test Valley Borough Council to support residents into the exciting variety of construction careers, and businesses through investment in training, skills and local talent."