Issue - meetings

Public Participation

Cherry Riley and Alysha Green of Bradford on Avon addressed Council on this motion.

The Chairman reported receipt of the above mentioned motion from Councillors Jon Hubbard and Trevor Carbin.

Accordingly, Councillor Jon Hubbard moved the following motion which was duly seconded by Cllr Trevor Carbin:

‘Council notes the reforms to the Integrated Youth Service outlined in the cabinet report of 15th May 2014.

Council recognises the plans for a more community led model, and supports the concept of communities having more control over identifying the best delivery model for provision of Positive Activities for Young People through the development of Local Youth Networks (LYN).

Council also notes that every Area Board will have a Community Youth Officer assigned who will work with community groups  to develop the new offer and support the developing LYNs.

Council further notes that all youth provision in existing Youth Development Centres and street based youth work supported by the Integrated Youth Service will cease by 30th September 2014.

Council is concerned at the impact of these sudden changes on young people and Wiltshire's communities when the service closes.

Council recognises that when consulted on the changes Young People responded more than anything else that they valued the benefits of having professional youth workers to support them in personal development and decision making, especially the additional support available in times of personal crisis.

Council therefore requests the administration to use the £225,000 recently identified from senior staff savings to provide a transitional service for the next 18 months. This service could provide street based youth workers to work with existing and emerging community providers to support young people within their communities and ensure that the LYN's are voicing the needs of young people in the wider community including the villages.

This will also help to deliver positive activities requested by Young People and not activities imposed on Young People - thus responding to a key concern expressed by Young People during the consultation process.

Council believes that this transitional arrangement will help Area Boards and LYNs to ensure the new Young People's funding best meets the actual needs of Young People in communities; thus better enabling communities to work towards fulfilling the opportunities presented by the new operating model approved by Cabinet’.

Councillor Hubbard in presenting his motion to Council, explained that the motion was not in respect of the changes to the youth service already made by Cabinet as he acknowledged those decisions had already been made. His motion was in respect of the implementation of those decisions in respect of delivery of the service. He considered that the changes were being made too quickly and that the concept of youth work services being delivered whilst being a good approach, needed to be phased in gradually. He commented that communities would need time to train and support those engaged to deliver the service and he considered that making the changes this quickly was a high risk approach which left no room for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54