Issue - meetings

To consider the motion together with the officer response.

The Chairman reported receipt of the above mentioned motion from Councillors Glenis Ansell and Gordon King. Accordingly, Councillor Glenis Ansell moved the following motion which was duly seconded by Councillor Gordon King:

“This council regrets that the decision to abolish the Community Youth Officer post was made outside the normal decision making process thereby denying elected representatives their usual opportunity of scrutinising an executive decision”.

In moving her motion, Councillor Glenis Ansell explained that she did not consider that due process had been followed, and that it should have been debated by Councillors or engaged Scrutiny. She expressed concern that the decision to reduce the number of Community Youth Officer (CYO) posts would impact on the ability of the youth service to meet the needs of those that needed help the most. She considered that the application of the new model was different from that which was promised. She referred to the separate petitions lodged with the Council which in themselves should have triggered the decision being taken with full due process. She considered that the number of young people per CYO was at unmanageable ratios to be able to offer the assistance and support required.

The Chairman invited Councillor Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, to respond to the motion. Councillor Mayes explained that the decision had been taken correctly as an operational decision at officer level having regard to the financial pressures on the Council as part of the day to day management of the Council.  Councillor Mayes confirmed that the new model service was reaching far more young people than it would have been possible with the old service.  She confirmed that the Council was preserving support for the most vulnerable and in early help work.

The Chairman then proposed, subsequently seconded by Councillor Bucknell that the motion be debated and on being put to the vote, it was;

Resolved:

That the motion be debated.

The Chairman invited Group Leaders to comment before opening the matter up for wider debate.

Councillor Ricky Rogers expressed sympathy for the motion. Whilst he understood the financial pressures facing the service, he expressed concern that the reduction in officers would render the new model for youth services inoperable and would not allow capacity to work with voluntary groups.

Councillor Simon Killane stated that he had written to the Cabinet Member with his concerns and accepted that it was a service decision but that it was one that could impact on the deliverability of the policy.

Councillor Jon Hubbard expressed surprise that the decision, given its impact, had not been subject to consultation with Councillors and affected parties such as service users, staff, Area Boards and found it abhorrent that they had not been consulted. He considered that the change was badly timed given that the Children’s Select Committee task group had not yet completed the review of the new model.

Councillor Chris Devine considered that the service model appeared to be working well in his division. The Council had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35