Agenda item - Brighton & Hove Youth Services 2017/18 – Some Further Information

Report of the Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning (copy attached).

RESOLVED - That Committee note the content of this report as part of their considerations of the 17/18 budget setting process.

122.1    The Chair noted there were two public questions that related to this’ he asked Seb Royle to put his question to the Committee.

122.2    Seb Royle asked: “Since you made your decision to cut funding for youth services in the city in late 2016 there has been a consultation created and released for young people to provide their views on the impact of the cuts on our community; how can the people of Brighton and Hove expect that the results of the consultation will be properly taken into account when the decision had clearly been already made month without any prior consultation at all?”

122.2    The Chair replied: “Firstly I would like to point out that no final decision has been made about future funding for the youth service. A proposal was presented to the Policy, Resources and Growth Committee in December 2016. Following this there has been a lot of activity by young people who very clearly expressed their opposition to the proposal. This has included demonstrations, questions at various committees and a petition presented at recent meeting of full council. The latter petition has led to a paper which is being considered at committee today. You may also be aware that the proposed savings to the youth service have now been reduced, this is because we have listened to the views that you and other young people across the city have expressed. Given the large savings the council has to make across all budgets we unfortunately cannot provide services in the way we have previously. I have written directly to the Prime Minister yesterday asking yet again for urgent action to meet the pressures on funding in local government. In relation to the current consultation process I welcome the fact that young people across the city have been engaging with this. There is a short time scale between the closure of the consultation process and the meeting of budget council and council officers will work hard in order to ensure that an analysis of the responses can be quickly shared with all members so that any decision made at budget council is properly informed.”

122.3    By way of a supplementary question Seb Royle asked: “Given the clearly illegitimate nature of the consultation and the highly questionable manor in which the decision to cut youth services has been made will the council postpone making any cut to youth service until a proper and legal consultation has taken place or will this consultation have to be challenged in court?”

122.4    The Chair replied. “We will consider the points you’ve made but the decision will be made at budget council on the 23 February.”

122.5    The Chair asked Boudicca Pepper to put her question to the Committee.

122.6    Boudicca Pepper asked: “You tell us that these cuts are incredibly difficult decisions but they must come from somewhere meanwhile council offices get an £11 million refurbishment and the mayor debates whether to cut youth services wearing a gold necklace around his neck. Many will suggest that this illustrates how the cuts are affecting some members of our community more than others. Would you agree that the burden of these cuts you must make should fall evenly on to everyone in the community and not disproportionately affect those of us already struggling?”

122.7    The Chair replied: “Sales of assets can’t support annual service costs the way that the council spends money is complex with restrictions around how money can be raised and spent. I hope you are able to stay for the remainder of this committee where this will be laid out in more detail. The mayor fulfils a civic duty and the support provided to organisations across the city is much appreciated and in some cases generates additional funding for the city. The refurbishment of Hove Town Hall was required due to the previous problems with its infrastructure. The funding for it is being obtained by selling off other council buildings such as Kings House and moving from Kings House to Hove Town Hall will save £2 million a year thus preventing further cuts. The sale of council assets help the council to make investments elsewhere but cannot be used to support year on year revenue costs such as running a youth service.

As you’ll see from the proposed budget papers there are savings proposals across all areas of the council including a proposal as we have heard that will be discussed in the next item in relation to the older people’s council. Please be reassured that all aspects of council services have had to make very hard choices about where to make future savings.”

122.8    By way of a supplementary question Boudicca Pepper asked: “It’s fantastic that you agree that the burden of cuts should not fall heavily on the most disadvantaged members of our community. As part of this commitment to ensuring that the burden of cuts are fairly and evenly shared by the community; will you commit to a review of the executive pay in Brighton & Hove City Council to ensure that no members of the community are given preferential treatment as these vicious cuts are made?”

122.9    The Chair replied. “Executive pay was reviewed and reduced during the last administration and there are no plans to undertake that again. I would remind you that youth services savings have been reduced to £700,000 we are looking at further transitional funding and external help being brought in but we will still be spending around £2 million of services for young people as set out in our budget report.”

122.10  The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning in relation to Brighton & Hove Youth Services 2017/18 – Some Further Information. At the Council meeting on 26 January 2017 an amendment was proposed by the Conservative Group and passed by Members. This amendment was to request a report to be bought to the next Policy, Resources & Growth Committee detailing the following in regards to the proposed reductions in youth service funding: service descriptions and client reach which could be provided at a range of funding levels; descriptions and impact assessments of expenditure reductions which were considered as an alternative to the proposed cut and an impact assessment of the funding reduction on the services themselves, and their clients and the increased pressures on other budgets and services should the proposed cut be implemented.

122.11  In response to a series of questions from Councillor Mac Cafferty the following responses were provided. The figures on usage of the service showed regulatory of use, and this was consistent with how this had historically been reported; however, assurance was given that infrequent users were still very much part of considerations. Whatever budget decisions were made the Council would continue to prioritise work for individuals that met protected characteristics, in the past additional funds had been put into youth services as individuals that fell into the protected groups had not been as well represented. It was acknowledged that supporting young people in care was expensive, and there was no clear link the work of the youth service prevented children going into care; to reduce pressure on the care system services had been identifying people on the ‘edge of care’ and working to prevent them entering the care system. The consultation process finished Sunday and it was intended that some analysis of the data would be undertaken by Wednesday 15 February in preparation for Budget Council.

122.12  In response to a series of questions from Councillor Wealls the following responses were provided. In relation to the consultation it was vital that the responses we carefully considered to ensure they helped form and shape future service provision. Over 1000 responses had already been received, and the question had been devised with young people, the voluntary sector and the in-house teams. Paper copies had been made available when required, and the in-house teams had entered these as part of the consultation. Ten focus groups had been held, especially with the protected groups, and there had been the opportunity for non-service users that were affected, such as adults and carers, to feed into the consultation.

122.13  In response to Councillor Sykes it was explained that it was very difficult to undertake a detailed analysis of the potential equalities impacts; the associated EIA had sought to recognise that there would be an impact, and the Council would ensure that mechanisms were put in place to continue dialogue with protected groups. The EIAs across the wider budget also went some way to ensuring that consideration was made of the cumulative impact of the budget savings.

122.14  Councillor Chapman thanked Officers for producing the report so quickly, and noted that whatever budget decisions were made would affect people in the city. There would still be youth service provision, and this type of reduction followed a national trend; the Administration would work with Officers to ensure that the redesign was right for the city.

122.15  Councillor Janio noted that he had listened to the debate, but felt the proposals were damaging to voluntary services in the city, he noted that the Administration still had time to reallocate funds to protect the service in the budget.

122.16  The Chair responded to Councillor Janio and noted that the level of budget savings were a direct result of decisions made by Central Government, and he noted that many local authorities across the country were finding themselves in a similar position.

122.17  Councillor Mitchell noted that the decision to move more of the youth service put of the local authority should have been some years back, before they had formed the administration.

122.18  The Chair then put the recommendations to the vote.

122.18  RESOLVED - That Committee note the content of this report as part of their considerations of the 17/18 budget setting process.