Resolved –

This Council notes:

•     That the Conservative Government has failed young people by overseeing unprecedented and cruel cuts to youth services across the country. Overall spending on youth services in England has fallen by £737m (62%) since 2010.

•     Youth work as a profession has been eroded and undermined through funding cuts and market reforms. This has resulted in a reduction in the number of JNC programmes, the number of providers employing JNC qualified workers and the number of students enrolling in undergraduate programmes. Between 2012 and 2016, 600 youth centres closed down and 3,500 youth workers lost their jobs.

•     Cuts to youth services have devastated the lives of young people by damaging community cohesion, making it harder to stay in formal education, and having a negative impact on their health and wellbeing. 83% of youth workers say the cuts have had an effect on crime and anti-social behaviour.

•     Youth work is a distinct educational process offering young people safe spaces to explore their identity, experience decision-making, increase their confidence, develop inter-personal skills and think through the consequences of their actions. This leads to better informed choices, changes in activity and improved outcomes for young people.

This Council believes:

•     Youth services should be made statutory, recognising the important role universal youth work plays in supporting young people to realise their potential.

•     Each local authority would set up a local youth services partnership with young people, parents, professionals and councillors, to ensure that the new national provision is tailored to the needs of each community.

•     It should be the responsibility of the Secretary of State to promote and secure youth services in each local authority across the country.

•     There should be a mandated national body with dedicated ring fenced funding to oversee youth service provision across England implemented through a local partnership board.

This Council:

•     Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State urging a change to make youth services a statutory service given the issues faced by young people in Britain today.

•     Notes the Labour Party is running a consultation into youth services. We resolve for the Leader to submit our views before the deadline on Monday 12 November 2018.

•     Will ask Bradford District MPs to support and campaign for statutory youth services.

ACTION:        Chief Executive/Leader of Council