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.
a. 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.
d. 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
Minutes:
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 was 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.
There were approximately 2,000 eligible young people in the Warminster community area with only 185 currently using the services.
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.
The consultation process started on Friday 31 January and a final report with recommendations for future provision were expected to be presented to Cabinet in April but this could be delayed in order to process all the feedback.
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 made asking about where the youth number had come from and it was explained that the figures came from youth services for the period of April to December 2013.
Sally Willox, Locality D Team Leader for Integrated Youths at Wiltshire Council, mentioned that the current number of youths using the services had doubled with a lot of the youths not having any support or anywhere else to go.
Cllr Mayes explained that the review on how the services are provided will enable to service to be more sustainable.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Mayes for the presentation and made the Area Board aware that the decision would be made by Cabinet and not the Area Board and encouraged all to participate in the consultation.