Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People, on a proposed integrated universal and targeted youth provision contract.

The Board was advised that the Education Act 1986 (updated in 2008), set out the statutory requirements for local authorities to provide youth work in three areas – positive activities; decision making by young people; and 14-19 learning.

It was reported that the continued reduction in youth services had come at a time when those services were most needed, with the risk of child poverty and material deprivation in the UK on the rise in recent years. Members were advised that Halton had a long history of providing young people with opportunities to develop their own unique talents and to access early help.

It was noted that Halton Youth Provision worked together with a range of agencies to help young people through early intervention and offering a range of support to prevent problems from getting worse. It was proposed that the Integrated Youth Service would have an indicative budget of £633,527 per annum, split across  three core functions as detailed in the report.

            RESOLVED: That the Board

1)    note the report; and

2)    approve the procurement of the new integrated, universal, targeted specialist youth provision for a three year contract with the option to extend for a further 1 plus 1 year.