Big boost in youth budget proposed

7.44.01pm GMT Sat 27th Jan 2007

Further major investment in the borough's Youth Service is signalled in Richmond Council's budget proposals for Education and Children's Services.

Budget plans include an increase of £250,000 to be spent on improving services and support for young people, providing them with more interesting and challenging things to do. This increase sits alongside capital investment of £574,000 for urgent repairs and improvements at the borough's five youth centres. This funding was given the go ahead by the Cabinet earlier this month.

Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, Cllr Malcolm Eady, said:

"Improving the Youth Service is a key priority for the Council. Young people have told us they would like more youth facilities and safe places to go to socialise and do activities like drama, dance and sport. We have already agreed a massive improvement programme for the borough's youth centres. We have listened to the borough's young people and this extra £250,000, proposed as part of the 2007-08 budget, underlines our commitment to expanding and improving provision for them.

"Areas we plan to focus on include extending youth work to areas where there are no clubs, opening youth clubs for longer, and providing more daytime activities during school holidays.

"We also aim to provide skills courses and expand programmes leading to an accredited outcome. And we aim to improve access to youth services for groups such as those with disabilities and learning difficulties."

Deputy Leader Stephen Knight said: "The Liberal Democrats promised in the local elections that we would increase funding for the borough's youth service. We have already announced £½million in capital improvements to youth club buildings and a further £1 million fund for new youth facilities around the borough. Today's announcement builds on that capital investment with an extra £250,000 a year for the youth service revenue budget. This represents the biggest increase in the borough's youth service in living memory. That fact that we are making this move at a time of growing cost pressures and a real-terms cut in government funding further demonstrates our firm commitment to young people."

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