At Tuesday night’s Cabinet meeting, Cllr Barry Abraham, member for Fire, Culture and Resident’s Services, presented a report on the Future of Youth Services.
Prior to the start of the meeting, Island resident, Simon Haytack asked a couple of questions regarding youth services.
He asked,
“The image held by many young people of the council and of the island is terrible, and as a result many chose to leave once financially independent. How will decisions made tonight regarding youth services help to improve this image and help us retain more of the young people our Island is very much in need of?”
Taking the comment with “a pinch of salt”
Council Leader, David Pugh, responded by saying that the young people he’d spoken to (with a wide variety of political views) didn’t seem to hold Simon’s subjective view and that he’d take the comment with a “pinch of salt”.
Cllr Abraham added that the proposals were about meeting young people’s needs and many of the Island’s youth had been consulted and contributed their views so far.
Cllr Pugh added that the youth service had a very low engagement on the Island and that the reason for making changes, was to engage more people.
What assurances that this won’t turn into broken promises?
Mr Haytack followed up with a supplementary question,
“What assurances can you give that anything discussed tonight won’t simply turn into more broken promises on youth services as we’ve seen previously with schemes such as the Student Rider?”
Cllr Pugh strongly contested the suggestion that the decision on student rider was a broken promise.
He went on to say that it was introduced during healthier financial times and was a scheme that they were pleased to support. He was also pleased that during a time when they are no longer able to support it, Southern Vectis have stepped in and provided affordable alternative with the Freedom pass.
Mr Haytack suggested David Pugh read the Conservative manifesto from 2009, to which Cllr Pugh responded that he had.
Cllr Abraham presents his proposals
Cllr Abraham worked through the report, starting off by telling the other members that he’d been a user of the service on the Island during the 1970s. He went on to say that he felt it was time to modernise what was available for young people.
Many considered it unacceptable that some youth centres are closed during the summer holidays, and he said that some of the activities need to be questioned.
He paid tribute to the dedicated work force, but believed that it was now time for the Youth Service to be a true representation of what young people want.
The report, which focuses on provision for the 13 -19 year olds as well as 19 – 24 year old for those with a learning disability, proposes speaking with members of the youth council, some of the schools councils, Girl Guides, Scouts, etc.
Savings of around £120-130,000
Cllr Abraham said that he didn’t want the buildings to become a critical feature of the consultation.
The changes were hoped to make savings of £120-130k pa, pointing out that the expenditure on youth services per person was much higher that other local authorities, needing to bring it down closer to the average.
If the proposals were approved, the representation period would run until 30th September 2011 with a view to a final decision being made in October 2011.
Cllr Pugh seconded the proposal and suggested a minor amendment to the proposal.
The proposal was voted through unanimously.
The proposal is embedded below for your convenience
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