Subject:

Youth Service Grants Programme

Date of Meeting:

9th November 2020

Report of:

Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning

Contact Officer:

Name:

Debbie Corbridge

Tel:

01273 292953

 

Email:

deborah.corbridge@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Ward(s) affected:

All Wards

 

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

 

 

1.         PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT

 

1.1         The purpose of this report is to provide information on the current Youth Service Grants Programme, outline the challenges regarding completing the recommissioning process within timescale and put forward a proposal to extend the current programme for a further 6 months.

 

 

2         RECOMMENDATIONS:

     

2.1         That the Committee acknowledges the challenges in completing the recommissioning of the Youth Service Grants Programme within the required timescale.

2.2         That the Committee agrees with the proposal to extend the current Youth Service Grants Programme for a further 6 months (until 30th September 2021).

 

2.3         That this Committee is presented with various options regarding developing a central youth hub along with detailed costings and financial implications and a decision made regarding how the Council proceeds.

 

2.4         A framework for the Youth Service Grant recommissioning process is presented to this Committee in March 2021

 

3.            CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

 

3.1         The Youth Service Grants Programme 2017-2020 funding period run from 1st

October 2017 to 31st March 2020. Its annual budget is £400,000 (£250,000 from the Housing Revenue Account). £16,000 contributes to the ASPIRE database which enables users to manage their casework and report on outcomes.

 

3.2         The focus of this programme is to fund projects that support outcomes identified in the Brighton & Hove Youth Work Review 2015, equality outcomes and outcomes for Council tenants. The current grant agreements are monitored; with six monthly data and narrative reports being compiled and analysed. In addition, meetings with the service providers take place on a quarterly basis.

 

3.3         In June 2019 the Children, Young People and Skills Committee and Housing Committee agreed to extend the current agreements by six months, to the end of September 2020, subject to consultation with Area Panels.  This consultation took place in September 2019 and the Area Panels agreed. 

 

3.4         In January 2020 the Children, Young people and Skills Committee agreed to extend the current Youth Service Grants programme for a further six months from 1st October to 31st March 2021.

 

3.5         The Brighton and Hove City Council 2020 to 2023 Corporate Plan includes its commitment to deliver high quality youth services by protecting funding and reviewing youth services across the city to improve coordination, establish a central youth hub and deliver services directly where possible.

 

3.6         It was agreed at the Children, Young People’s and Skills Committee on 13th January that a review of current youth services in the city would be undertaken; this was completed and it was agreed that the findings and recommendations of the Youth Review will inform the Youth Service Grants recommissioning process and the proposed framework for this is bought to Committee in November

 

3.7         The Youth Review Report was presented at the Children, Young People and Skills Committee on 14th September where it was that:

 

·         Brighton Youth Centre (BYC) is recognised as one of the key youth providers in the city and for the Council to decide how to support with its refurbishment or rebuild by exploring all options.

 

·         That the Committee agrees that neighbourhood provision should remain and not be impacted on if any future investment towards a central youth hub is agreed

 

3.8         Options for supporting BYC with its refurbishment or rebuild and developing a Central Youth Hub therefore need to be explored with costs for each clearly outlined along with their financial implications.

 

3.9         There has, as yet, been no announcement on the Youth Investment Fund; therefore the eligibility criteria for this, along with other details are unknown. The announcement is expected imminently.

 

3.10      As there is no decision as yet regarding establishing a central youth hub, how much of the current Youth Service Grant Programme funding needs to be ring-fenced for this and what funding will be available, it is difficult to propose a framework for the recommissioning process in time for an April 1st 2021 start.

 

3.11      A further 6 month extension to the current Youth Service Grant Programme would allow time for various options for a Central Youth Hub to be explored, along with costings for each, gain information on the Youth Investment Fund and clarity around funding available for the next commissioning round.

 

 

 

 

4.            ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

 

4.1       Another option would be to go ahead with the commissioning process within the timescale, leaving it area based with the same amount allocated to each area (the formula used; council house density, areas of deprivation and numbers of young people have not changed significantly), noting that the council is exploring options to establish a central youth hub, therefore the central area funding could change; being clear with all youth providers that the funding is subject to decisions made at full budget council

 

5.            COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION

 

5.1         The findings from the recent Youth Review informed this paper which included a number of consultation events and an online survey for young people to complete.

 

6.        CONCLUSION

 

6.1       Given the gaps in information regarding various options for developing a central      youth hub, details of the Youth Investment Fund and the amount available for the Youth Service Grants recommissioning programme a further 6 month extension of the current programme is deemed appropriate. This would allow time to collate all of the information required to make an informed decision regarding any central youth hub development and clarity regarding available funding for the next round of the Youth Service Grants Programme

 

7.         FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:

 

Financial Implications:

 

7.1       The 2020/21 gross budget for youth service provision is £1.044m, including £0.005m one-off funding for 20/21 only. Of this £0.394m is for the Youth Service Commissioned services and £0.134m for the Youth Led Grants Programme.

 

7.2       The Council is facing unprecedented financial pressures, any arrangement to commit funding beyond March 2021 will need to be considered, to see if the financial implications outlined in the report, can be accommodated in the 2021/22 budget proposals. Any new commitments, including all options regarding developing a central youth hub along with detailed costings and financial implications, should be considered as part of the draft 2021/22 budget proposals at P&R committee.

 

            Finance Officer Consulted:     Name Davie Ellis                         Date: 27/10/20

 

Legal Implications:

 

7.1         In January 2020 the Children, Young people and Skills Committee agreed to extend the current Youth Service Grants programme for a further six months from 1st October to 31st March 2021. The rationale for extending this is set put in the body of the report. The extent of any grant in the new financial year is not yet determined and will not be determined by this Committee. Ultimately any recommissioning in due course will have to be informed by the funding available, and consideration given as to how to use the funding to meet the assessed needs of the city in order to meet statutory responsibilities to provide youth services. 

 

                                                                   

            Lawyer Consulted: Natasha Watson                                            Date: 29/10/2020