Issue - meetings

By Councillor Mrs Temperton to Councillor Dr Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning

I am delighted that at last there are real proposals to create a Town Centre Youth Facility. Eight years ago, over 400 young people responding to a consultation about Youth Provision in Bracknell Forest, requested such a facility and this has been reaffirmed by the July 2017 consultation.

The proposals include a café/social space, small meeting rooms and list the targeted work to be delivered from the building with our most vulnerable young people. This work is currently the focus of the Bracknell Forest Youth Service.

As no new money is to be provided for the revenue running costs but all will come from the Youth Service budget, what effect will this have on the essential services now provided in our schools and communities?

Councillor Mrs Temperton asked Councillor Dr Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning the following published question:

I am delighted that at last there are real proposals to create a Town Centre Youth Facility. Eight years ago, over 400 young people responding to a consultation about Youth Provision in Bracknell Forest, requested such a facility and this has been reaffirmed by the July 2017 consultation.

The proposals include a café/social space, small meeting rooms and list the targeted work to be delivered from the building with our most vulnerable young people. This work is currently the focus of the Bracknell Forest Youth Service.

As no new money is to be provided for the revenue running costs but all will come from the Youth Service budget, what effect will this have on the essential services now provided in our schools and communities?

In response Councillor Dr Barnard stated that a detailed paper on the feasibility study had been circulated and was responding to the views of young people. There was no plan to reduce spend therefore the Council was using the assets that it had. He stated that until the study had been conducted and the options available had been assessed it would not be possible to calculate the revenue running costs. The intention was far from reducing provision but to enhance what was currently available. The Council had been contacted by potential partners to get involved in the new provision and therefore it was intended to provide an enhanced and refreshed provision.

He added that once the feasibility study had been conducted it would be made available to young people for their comments before it was possible to consider what should be provided. He asked that it be noted that the current trend was for lower take up for youth services in the parish areas in comparison to the town centre.

As her supplementary question Councillor Mrs Temperton asked whether vital youth services within schools would continue as the work to raise children’s aspirations and prevent harm was so valid.

Councillor Dr Barnard agreed and stated that maintaining youth provision in schools would continue as well as putting officers out into the community and training further people to support pupils in schools. He reiterated that the Council does not have a fit for purpose facility where sensitive work could be carried out but that potential parties were coming forward and he was very optimistic about what could be achieved. He concluded that meeting the emotional wellbeing and needs of the borough’s pupils was a priority and that recent exam success reflected the activities by school, teachers and pupils.