Martin Murray, leader of Staffordshire County Council, has warned that a generation risks being left behind unless the Government and local councils act together to tackle the employment crisis facing young people.

Speaking at the annual Local Government Association conference on Wednesday, Murray told delegates that long-term underperformance at school, a shortage of further education places, and financial pressures on local employers could have "devastating consequences" for young people.

The Perfect Storm

Murray described the combination of factors as creating "the perfect storm" with the potential for "a lost generation of skills, ambitions and talent." He highlighted that many young people struggle to succeed at school, find work, and will face even greater difficulty accessing education due to a lack of places. Meanwhile, local employers are struggling to recruit because of financial impacts from increases in the national minimum wage.

"This is a national crisis and the young people of today are looking to the Government and to us as leaders to turn the tide," Murray said.

Staffordshire's Response

Murray said Staffordshire County Council is already taking action. The council has introduced a Get Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Working Plan and a new Skills for Growth Plan focused on ensuring young people have the skills to access and stay in work. The plans support businesses in key sectors including advanced manufacturing, logistics, AI, construction, and hospitality. According to Murray, Staffordshire is outperforming other areas despite receiving less funding.

The Scale of the Problem

For every £1 spent on youth employment support nationally, around £25 is spent on benefits. The crisis costs the UK an estimated £125 billion annually, according to the Milburn Review, which identified the issue as a "whole system failure" where education, health, welfare, and labour market systems operate in isolation.

Murray called for a coordinated national "whole system" approach rather than "piecemeal one-off initiatives." Local authorities stand ready to lead on addressing youth unemployment challenges, he said, but the Government must listen to councils and young people and "step up before a generation is left behind."