Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which details the evidence to be considered as part of the second formal session of the Scrutiny Board’s inquiry into Youth Services

Members received a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which detailed the information to be considered as part of the second formal session of the Board’s inquiry into Youth Services.

Appended to the report for Members’ consideration was an overview of the Leeds Youth Work Partnership, a summary of the Local Youth Network in Morley and a report from the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing entitled, ‘The Impact of Area Management upon the Youth Service’.

Rosemary Archer, Director of Children’s Services, John Paxton, Head of Youth Service, Satbinder Soor, Senior Youth Officer, Dave Richmond, South Leeds Area Manager, Councillor Finnigan, Chair of the South (Outer) Area Committee and Dave Ashwell and Mark Law, both of Leeds Youth Work Partnership, were all in attendance to answer Members’ queries and questions.

Following a brief summary of the information within the report concerning the Leeds Youth Work Partnership, a question and answer session ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  The objectives of the Leeds Youth Work Partnership in bringing the youth service and voluntary sector organisations together in a positive partnership to jointly acknowledge and address issues which had previously created tensions between parties;

·  The role played by the Partnership when considering the children’s trust arrangements in Leeds;

·  The number of voluntary organisations and faith groups which were involved in the Partnership;

·  Issues relating to the funding arrangements associated with the Partnership;

·  The extent to which funding from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was available for youth activities;

·  The extent to which the level of service provided by the Partnership varied throughout Leeds;

·  The actions being taken to promote the Partnership, in order to attract a more diverse group of organisations;

·  The differing roles of the Partnership operating at a strategic level, and youth networks providing support at a local operational level.

A brief overview of the work undertaken by the Local Youth Network in Morley was followed by a question and answer session. The main areas of debate were:-

·  The support provided by local networks to local groups delivering services to young people;

·  With regard to the procedures in place to administer individual Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, Members questioned whether the system had been problematic and enquired whether anything could be done to simplify the process. In response, it was proposed that a summary of evidence which related to the current position of CRB checks in Leeds could be submitted to Members for their information;

·  The extent to which the recorded outcomes procedure used was viewed as cumbersome;

·  The difference that the establishment of the Network had made to young people in Morley when considering the accessibility of services;

·  The effectiveness of a pilot scheme which had been established to train voluntary youth workers in certain parts of Leeds and whether it was intended to roll the initiative out across the city.

Following a summary of the issues raised within the report from the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing, a discussion ensued which related to the impact that the Area Management Teams had upon the operation of the Youth Service. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  With regard to the work undertaken to address the issue of cohesion in South Leeds, Members enquired about the success of the initiative and questioned whether South Leeds High School had been involved;

·  Following Members’ requests for further information on those organisations who had received support to assist their delivery of services to young people, the Board was advised that although details of those organisations assisted by the Area Committee were appended to the report, information on those bodies covered by Local Youth Networks could be provided;

·  The formula currently used to allocate the city wide Youth Service budget on a Ward by Ward basis, whether the formula was still fit for purpose given the developments in service provision and the potential impact that any change in the allocation system could have on a particular area;

·  The need for more detailed information to be submitted to Area Committees in the future, in order to maximise the effectiveness of any funding allocated;

·  Issues relating to the perceived success of local working arrangements in West Leeds.

The Chair concluded by thanking all the witnesses present for their contribution and attendance.

RESOLVED –  

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That the issues raised be incorporated into the Board’s inquiry on youth services;

(c). That the additional information requested be provided to the next session of the Board’s inquiry in December.

(Professor PHJH Gosden, Councillor Renshaw and Councillor R D Feldman left the meeting at 12.10 p.m., 12.15 p.m. and 12.25 p.m. respectively during the consideration of this item).