The Director of Children’s Services presented a report which proposed a new strategy for the provision of Youth Services.

The principles adopted were:

·  For universal services to be organised locally, linked to the District Boards, Youth Forums and Area Forums.

·  For targeted services for the most vulnerable young people to be organised on a borough wide basis.

·  To focus our efforts on better but fewer centres, and ensure synergy with the Strategic Asset Review

·  To work with partners across the public and voluntary sectors by a process of commissioning.

Wirral Youth Service makes provision through both statutory and voluntary organisations. There were eighteen youth centres, four held by the Children and Young People’s Department, two by Cultural Services, eleven by voluntary organisations and one centre in a school. Provision was currently stretched with an inconsistent offer and variable hours of opening. The report proposed a consolidation of provision into the four districts with four major centres that would open for extended hours, in addition there would be seven satellites covering the remaining Area Forums that would open for three nights.  One major centre had already received Cabinet approval, Shaftsbury Youth Club and was the subject of a “My Place” bid.  The report sought permission to engage with the Merseyside Fire Service to consider a second centre to be created at Wallasey Fire Station using Youth Capital Plus funding.  The centres would be identified as part of the Strategic Asset Review.  The report also includes a proposal to enhance the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

The proposals would in total result in a saving of £150,000.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning welcomed the creation of ‘super centres’ which would be open 6 nights of the week and the more efficient use of resources.  Councillor Phil Davies also referred to the recent scrutiny report on Youth Outreach work and indicated that a more detailed report would be brought on this matter.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning moved an amendment and it was –

RESOLVED: That

(1)  Cabinet welcomes this report which will modernise the youth service and create a series of Youth super centres able to provide the facilities that the young people of Wirral have told us they want;

(2)  Cabinet deletes paragraph 17.3 and agrees the proposals in paragraph 17.1 and 17.2; and

(3)  Cabinet further agrees the savings outlined in Table 1 paragraph 2.2 giving a total saving of £150,000.