A review of the Herefordshire Youth Service was commissioned following the budget setting process undertaken in February 2011. The purpose of the review was to:

·         identify ways in which the vision for young people’s services could be achieved.

·         address how youth work could be directed more toward targeted intervention, and ensuring the needs of the most vulnerable are met, utilising youth work skills.

·         establish how communities and the voluntary sector could be better engaged in improving universal provision, and making it more locally relevant and available.

·         identify how reductions to the current youth service budget could be achieved.

The purpose of this report is for Cabinet to be advised on the current stage of the review and to seek agreement on a preferred model for the future delivery of youth service functions in Herefordshire.

THAT Cabinet approve: 

(a)                The Policy Position set out in at Appendix 1 to the Report under Vision and Guiding Principles;

(b)                Targeted Youth Support Services for the most vulnerable young people in the county are prioritised for funding and are likely to be delivered in the future both directly by the Council and third sector partners;

(c)                Positive activities for young people, which can be accessed by all will be delivered through a community engagement route, with local areas having access to Council funding on a formula basis according to numbers of young people and the level of deprivation in the locality.  This funding to be used in connection with other partnership resources which may be available in the locality;

(d)                Outdoor Education services as set out in paragraphs 39-47 of the Report be subject to market testing to determine whether they are commercially viable with no public subsidy;

(e)                A further report incorporating the outcomes of the public consultation and a further review of the position under the Equalities Act 2010 be brought to Cabinet in June 2012.

1.         The recommendations have been made in line with the guiding principles of the review and in light of the economic and financial context.

2.         There is a national and local wish for all young people to fulfill their potential and to play a positive and active role in society.

3.         There is a clear emphasis for public services to increasingly target the available resources to those who most need them.

4.         There is a national and local wish for increasing engagement of people in making decisions which affect them locally and for people to be increasingly involved in the lives of their communities.

5.         Savings have to be made as a result of this review, but this is coupled with an ambition to make the services even better and more relevant to young people of the county.

6.         In addition the review acknowledges the value of open access facilities for young people, and demonstrates the listening ear of HPS to the views of young people who consistently emphasise the value and importance they place on having positive things to do.

7.         The recommendation of the review on Outdoor Education provides the option for members to give further consideration of valuable assets which could be made commercially viable in the future.

Positive Activities

Maintaining the current Positive Activities Status Quo

1.         This would entail providing current activities from within HPS as currently happens, maintaining current building stock (within the parameters of the corporate asset review) but reducing the budget in line with the required level of reduction.

2.         The necessary budget reduction of 20% (£105,874) would result in the structure of the service being unsustainable causing overstretch and reducing quality in current provision.

3.         This option is not in accordance with the majority of the guiding principles and is not recommended

Cease all Positive Activities funded by the Youth Service

4.         Detailed consideration of this option suggests this cannot be considered to be a ‘real’ option as it would be contrary to current legislation and could result in action being taken against HPS.

5.         This is not a recommended option, although the balance of what is provided by HPS and what is commissioned can alter.

Outdoor Education

Maintaining the status quo

6.         This would entail providing current activities from within HPS as currently happens.

7.         A 20% efficiency target for 2012/13 would mean an additional £28,836 being found through income generation making the total income target £52,836 for the year (this does not include any marketing of promotional costs). It is not known if this is achievable in the current service format.

8.         Further income generation in subsequent year may be difficult without developing the infrastructure for marketing, promotion and bookings. Developing this infrastructure will have cost implications

Cease all Outdoor Education Activity

9.         This would entail the closure of the sailing and canoe centre and making 3 staff redundant whilst keeping on the outdoor education advisor, due to the statutory duty performed, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award officer as a requirement for the Herefordshire licence from the Award Headquarters.

10.      Current costs of these two sub functions (DoE & advisor role) are £59,181. Savings would amount to £85k.

11.      There is a risk that access to the River Wye at Castle Green and access to Bodenham lake could also be lost if the Local Authority withdrew from using these facilities under the current arrangements.

Consultation with Council staff involved in youth provision, representatives of Third Sector providers and young people was carried out during July 2011. Wider consultation is planned for the second stage of the project during November 2011.