Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing which provides a review of two projects (Mobile Youth Provision and Priority Neighbourhood Worker) which have been commissioned by the Area Committee and invites Members to determine the next steps for them

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/10 mins discussion)

A report was submitted on behalf of the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing which provided Members with a review of two initiatives, namely Mobile Youth Provision and the Priority Neighbourhood Development Worker, which had previously been commissioned by the Area Committee. As the contracts for the two projects were due to an end in August 2007 and July 2007 respectively, the Committee was asked to determine the next steps for both initiatives.

Having received a brief overview of the performance and achievements of the Mobile Youth Provision to date, a question and answer session ensued. The main points raised were as follows:-

·  Having discussed the ways in which the provision intended to develop relationships with other agencies throughout the area, Members emphasised the need to further develop the provision’s collaboration with the Youth Service;

·  Members highlighted the need for the initiative to focus its provision in areas where there was no static youth provision available, as originally intended;

·  The need to ensure that a consistent schedule of provision was established over a period of time, so that a solid relationship with young people in the area could be developed;

·  The Committee emphasised the need for Members to be aware of the vehicle’s location at all times, so that potential users could be signposted to the provision, and highlighted the need to ensure that a more effective dialogue was established between Ward Members and those managing the initiative;

·  Members discussed the staffing issues relating to the initiative and acknowledged the difficulties of recruiting staff to certain working patterns;

·  Members proposed that further discussions relating to the title of the Mobile Youth Provision would be undertaken in due course;

·  The length of time spent in each venue and the need to ensure that the sessions were long enough in duration to enable the service to be maximised;

·  The need to ensure that the provision’s schedule was monitored in a more stringent way by the Area Management Team;

·  Members discussed the proposals which had been set out for future provision, sought clarification on the number of sessions which were being provided by the service per week, and requested further information on the provision’s schedule of activities and the attendance levels being achieved for each session;

·  The need to ensure that appropriate publicity was being circulated about the provision’s activities, prior to each session taking place.

A brief presentation was then made by the Priority Neighbourhood Development Worker on the progress he had made to date. Having received several comments from members of the local community which related to the positive work undertaken, Members emphasised the need to ensure that the work programme of the Priority Neighbourhood Development Worker did not become too wide ranging.

RESOLVED –

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

(b). That Members’ comments relating to the Priority Neighbourhood Development Worker post and the Mobile Youth Provision be noted;

(c). That the Area Committee’s Priority Neighbourhood Development Worker post be extended for a further 12 months (August 2007 to August 2008), using the same provider (South Leeds Health For All), with the same level of wellbeing funding (£32,800.00) being allocated to the position, and that the Area Management Team be requested to amend the contract for the post in line with the areas of improvement identified by Elected Members and the Team;

(d). That the Area Committee’s Mobile Youth Provision scheme be extended using the same provider (St. Luke’s Cares) for a further 12 months (July 2007 to July 2008), with the funding made available from the reduced vehicle hire costs for year 2 (£7,800.00) being added to the original funding allocation of £32,000.00, in order to enable a greater number staffing hours and sessions per week to be provided, and that the Area Management Team be requested to amend the scheme’s contract in line with the areas of improvement which have been identified by Elected Members and the Team.

(Councillor Blake declared a personal interest in relation to this item, due to being a Trustee of South Leeds Health For All)