Agenda item

Communities across Wiltshire are being consulted on what youth activities they would like in their local communities as part of a wide-ranging review.  Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services Wiltshire Council, will present details of the review being undertaken. 

1. Retain the current in-house service but reduce the value – a number of options would be considered to make the required savings and deliver a service that meets the needs of young people in local community areas.

2. Outsource the service – this option would involve developing a new service specification for the provision of positive leisure-time activities; shaped by key stakeholders, including young people based on the resources available.

3. Encourage and support staff to form a Public Service Mutual (PSM). A mutual can deliver a public service involving a high degree of employee control. It can operate for profit, not for profit, charity, social enterprise and community interest company.

4. Develop a community-led approach which will empower communities via community area boards, with funding from the council, to develop and make available positive leisure-time youth activities within their local area

The full report can be accessed electronically through this link: http://cms.wiltshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=7216&Ver=4

Further information can be found at:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council/consultations.htm

http://sparksite.co.uk/entries/positive_leisure_time_activities_young_people_wiltshire_review

The Chairman welcomed Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Wiltshire Council.

Cllr Mayes gave a presentation on the youth activity review currently taking place and confirmed that the Council were keen to have the involvement of as many people as possible.

In order to address the changing needs of young people a report was submitted to Cabinet on 21 January.

Out of the amount of children who are eligible to use the service only 7-10% actually had. 

The budget for 2014/15 had been set at Council on 25 February and included a need for Integrated Youth Services to make savings of £191,000.

This was also in line with Campus proposals which it was noted would provide new opportunities and would affect the way in which services were currently provided.  The first campus was due to open in Corsham in June 2014.

The authority had a statutory duty to secure access to leisure time activities for young people.  The Department of Education changed the guidance approximately 18 months ago that authorities should ‘enable’ services and not just ‘provide’ with an enhanced role for the voluntary sector in the community.

It was noted that the Area Board had clearly supported the youths in the area with a number of the grants being awarded for their projects.

The 4 options being consulted were:

·         Retain the current in-house service but reduce the cost

·         Outsource the service

·         Encourage and support staff to form a Public Service Mutual

·         Develop a community led approach

Cabinet at its meeting held on 21 January had expressed an interest in Option 4.

There is a possibility that funding could be provided in a similar way to CATG funding although this had not been finalised.

The consultation process started on Friday 31 January and will end in mid April with the final report with recommendations for future provision expected to be presented to Cabinet in May and the new service rolled out on the 1 October 2014.

The outcome of the consultation should:

·         Provide a better service for young people

·         Give greater influence to young people on local provision

·         Target resources and funding to those who needed it most

·         Protect the vulnerable with safeguarding a top priority

·         Deliver youth services in a different way

·         Provide value for money and use of resources

·         Improve the future environment (the Campus programme would provide this)

·         Reflect the revised government guidance

Safeguarding was also a key element and at least 8 targeted youth workers would be available to work with the vulnerable.

All were encouraged to submit their views via the following websites:

voiceandinfluenceteam@wiltshire.gov.uk

Further information could also be found at:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/latestnews.htm?aid=149213

A comment was raised about the lack of facilities in the area in particular football fields and provisions. This was highlighted as a perfect example of what the consultation was hoping to highlight. The comment was then referred to the Community Area Manage to pursue further.

Another comment raised highlighted the problems of transport within the rural area and the running costs associated with current projects. It was noted that these were the kinds of projects that the funding option would cover.

Cllr Mayes explained that the review on how the services are provided will enable to service to be more sustainable.

The Area Board voted on the options considered and option 4 was favoured.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Mayes for the presentation and encouraged all to participate in the consultation.