Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Damien Haasjes (Voluntary Sector Youth Development Co-Ordinator) on the Commissioning Strategy for Services to 13-19 year olds, and how this will affect youth services in the Amesbury Community Area.

Cabinet member for Children’s Services, Councillor Lionel Grundy introduced this item. He began by saying that Youth Services had been under review since the early days of the unitary council and before, in order to improve the service delivered to Wiltshire’s young people and deliver value for money. He encouraged those present to contribute to the ongoing consultation, and especially to encourage contributions from local schools and schoolchildren.

Thereafter Damian Haasjes (Voluntary Sector Development Manager) gave a presentation on the consultation document “Commissioning Strategy for Young People Aged 13-19). This document sought to improve outcomes for young people in Wiltshire by providing a good range of quality services, providing an early response to the needs of young people, and by improving partnership working.  The document had a broad scope and included services such as health, education, leisure, and housing amongst others.

A number of actions had already been undertaken in order to seek input into the consultation, including a number of workshops and events for young people and those who worked in the relevant service areas, including 2/3 young people per community area.

Key issues identified for young people were transport, lack of facilities in villages, lack of jobs, and the high cost of housing. The most requested facilities were Kitchen facilities, by a clear margin, and thereafter I.T suites.

Damian clarified that the consultation had started on 13 May and would run until 5 August 2011.

It was also clarified that the youth service needed to make savings of around £600,000 – it was hoped that this could be achieved through rationalisation of staff and buildings. These savings would take effect from April 2012.

In terms of the future provision of youth services, a number of options had been proposed; these were set out in the tabled paper, and could also be viewed on the Council’s website.  In summary they consisted of:

1. Testing the market for Youth Work services to be provided under contract via competitive tendering. 
2. Developing local partnerships with the voluntary sector or secondary schools / colleges.
3. Local management of services and closer alignment with Campus developments.
4. Changing local youth work offer through reduced reliance of existing buildings – this would probably be via four centres across the county.  It was likely that the nearest one to Amesbury would be in Salisbury.

Damian noted there was already good voluntary sector support for youth services in the Amesbury area from existing local organisations.

The Chairman thanked Damian for the presentation.

The Chairman then asked for questions and comments from those present.

Members of the Committee and officers highlighted two existing methods whereby young people in need of transport could receive funding – vouchers which are issued to young people from deprived backgrounds, and through the delegation of £5000 to each area board for transport funding purposes.

Cllr Westmoreland asked why the existing Amesbury Community Resource Centre was not being used by youth services, as it would seem an ideal venue for a youth cafe / drop-in centre.

Allington Parish Council was highlighted as an example of a community within the Amesbury area that had developed a youth committee and excellent activities for young people.

In reply to both statements Damian re-iterated his section’s desire to use the review to identify and build upon existing resources and partnerships and to support existing activities where possible.