Agenda item

Julia Cramp - Service Director for Commissioning and Performance in the Department for Children and Education at Wiltshire Council, will introduce the new strategy which will affect

  the delivery of youth services in Bradford on Avon

Julia Cramp - Service Director for Commissioning and Performance in the Department for Children and Education, Wiltshire Council, outlined the new strategy which would affect the delivery of youth services in Bradford on Avon.

Points made by Julia Cramp included:

·         Wiltshire Children’s Trust draft commissioning strategy for services for young people aged 13 to 19 has been issued for consultation. This is an important strategy which outlines plans for improving services for the 13 to 19 age range.

·         Young people and representatives from a range of agencies working with 13 to 19 year olds have been involved right from the start and their views have informed the draft including the commissioning priorities and youth work suggestions. Each CAYPIG held a session on the Strategy and each Area Board had been offered a presentation to highlight awareness of the Strategy.  In addition, the Strategy was sent out to a wide range of stakeholders including members of Wiltshire's Children's Trust Partnership, Police, schools, the voluntary sector, etc.

·         Consultation is taking place for 12 weeks from 13th May to 5th August 2011. The final strategy will be presented to Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet in September 2011 along with a report making specific proposals on future plans for youth work. The draft includes key consultation questions. Written responses to the consultation should be sent to Pathways@wiltshire.gov.uk.

·         The purpose of the commissioning strategy is to achieve better outcomes for young people aged 13-19 by: Ensuring a good range of high quality services for all young people. Providing an early integrated response when young people are vulnerable or at risk, as soon as problems or issues arise.

·         The draft commissioning strategy notes that there are plans for developing a campus in each of the 18 community areas. Each campus would bring together a number of local services provided by the Council and other agencies in a building or collection of buildings.

·         It is envisaged that each campus will contain some space which will be used by the 13 to 19 age range. The draft includes a specific consultation question on space for young people in each campus.

·         The draft strategy also outlines 4 suggestions for future youth work services including some initial thoughts on making the savings from youth work budgets noted in the Council’s financial plan. The suggestions are put forward in order to promote discussion and debate and there is not a favoured suggestion. Some of the suggestions could be combined and through discussions during the consultation period new ideas are likely to emerge.

·         More information on the draft 13 to 19 commissioning strategy and the suggestions for future youth work services will be provided at the Area Board meeting.

Questions raised from the floor included:

·         Are there any plans to include Wiltshire’s young people in the 2012 Olympics celebrations?

We are looking to see what each community wants to do, and are keen that young people are actively involved in it.

·         Will any of Wiltshire’s young people have the opportunity to carry the Olympic torch as it travels through the county?

We are hopeful that some young people will get the opportunity to be part of the torch carrying.

·         Do we know the torch route yet?

The route will be announced in November 2011.

·         Have you any idea what the consultation feedback results are looking like?

The results coming in appear to be mixed.

·         Would any consultation responses be reported back to the area board?

Yes.

·         Are you speaking to a good cross section of age groups?

Yes, the presentation is doing the rounds of all the area boards and CAYPIGs.

Area Board members felt that they would like to see a schedule of forthcoming corporate consultations to be able see who they thought should be consulted on particular issues. It was agreed that the Community Area Manager would discuss this with Julia Cramp.

The Chairman thanked Julia Cramp for her presentation.