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Youth services set to be slashed as Tories plan to axe 54 jobs

by Ian Shires on 4 October, 2015

Youth CutsThe budget for Youth Services across Walsall is about to be halved as a result of this year’s budget cuts supported by both Labour and Tory Councillors back in February this year.

The move will see the Council withdraw virtually entirely from youth provision across all its venues except one in the Delves area. Fifty four staff will lose their jobs. “And it doesn’t stop there” said Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Ian Shires “other related services are being cut which will inevitably see a rise in anti social behaviour.”

Those services for young people that survive will rely on independent providers who will have to bid for a slice of the £888,000 that will remain of the current £1.07 million.

What makes matters worse is that all this has to be in place by 1st April next year. That leaves less than six months to plan for a smooth transition from a Council led service to one delivered by ‘independent commissioned providers’ whoever they might be? And we assume volunteers.

Faced with another five years of austerity courtesy of the new Tory Government released from the constraints put upon by the Liberal Democrats Local Government has some difficult decisions to make. With Tories in power in Westminster and in Walsall one thing is beginning to look certain, it’s young people who are being singled out to bear the brunt of it!

Back in February Liberal Democrats on Walsall Council put forward an alternative budget, unfortunately we were not successful in getting Tories, Labour or UKIP Councillors to support us. If they had we would not be faced with the decimation of youth provision across Willenhall. We proposed a four year transition to enable other organisations within the voluntary sector to built the capacity to gradually take over youth provision from the Council.

Young people are getting a raw deal not just in youth provision but right across the board in jobs, housing and training. If you are between 16 and 25 and want to make a difference, we’d like to have a conversation with you.

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