The Government has challenged councils to submit innovative bids for cash to create new jobs. Work and pensions secretary, James Purnell, urged councils to apply for cash that could help unemployed people get into the leisure industry, ready to promote sports activities in the run up to the 2012 Olympics. The cash will come from the £1bn ‘Future jobs fund' which Mr Purnell believes will generate create 150,000 new jobs. National sports organisations have already pledged to bid for at least 5,000 jobs for young people.