PAPER C
|
EDUCATION AND LIFE LONG LEARNING SELECT COMMITTEE – 20 OCTOBER 2003 ISLE OF WIGHT YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE POST BEST VALUE REVIEW STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT |
REASON
FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
It
was agreed in the work plan of the Education and Life Long Learning Select
Committee that the Youth and Community Service, following the Best Value
Review, should report to the Committee.
|
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE The
Select Committee are asked to note the report and regard it as a ‘way
forward’. |
BACKGROUND
In
January 2003, the Education and Life Long Learning Select Committee approved
the Best Value Report of the Youth and Community Service, as did the Executive
Committee in February 2003. This report
is to appraise Members of the progress made since the report was approved, and
to outline the budget implications to implement the Review recommendations.
RELEVANT
PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
These
are the documents which are relevant to this report:~
§
Youth and Community
Service Best Value Review – January 2003
§
Youth and Community
Service Performance Management Plan – 2003/2004
§
Directorate of
Education and Community Development Plan 2004/2005
§
Isle of Wight Corporate
Plan 2002/2005
CONSULTATION
PROCESS
It
was during the Best Value Review process that the consultations took place;
this report describes the progress and achievements to date.
FINANCIAL,
LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
The
Best Value Review demonstrated what a significant contribution the Youth and
Community Service makes to the Council’s strategic objectives. In order for the Service to move forward and
meet the needs and demands of young people, the Isle of Wight Council and
Central Government, a number of areas for budget growth were identified.
The
three top priorities identified in the Education and Community Development Plan
2004/2005 are:~
1. Youth Empowerment Work
The post of the Youth Empowerment
Worker was funded for a two year period through the Transforming Youth Work
Development Fund which expires in March 2004.
The main task for the post holder is to develop and support the Isle of
Wight Youth Council. The post holder
has worked closely with Electoral and Committee Services staff to make
arrangements for the first e-voting elections for the Isle of Wight Youth
Council to take place during the Local Democracy Week (13-17 October
2003). The post holder has also been
involved in the support and attendance at conferences and meetings with the
Isle of Wight Youth MP at various locations across the country. This post needs to be supported and made
permanent if the Isle of Wight Youth Council is to be maintained and succeed. The cost for 2004/2005 is estimated at
£40,000, rising by £2,000 per annum thereafter.
2. Significant Part Time Youth Worker Post
The second priority is the development
of significant part time youth worker posts who will take on the day to day
face to face work with young people, therefore releasing full time staff to
develop work during the day or evenings with hard to reach and more difficult
young people. This may involve working
more closely with schools and other agencies.
The estimated cost in the first year to establish these 0.5 posts is
£54,000.
3. One Stop Shop
The third area is to assist in the
development of the ‘One Stop Shop’. The
establishment of this project has become protracted by the legal
requirements. It is still very much a
viable proposition and £15,000 has been allocated, increasing by £1,000 in
successive years.
The
total estimated budget implication for 2004/2005 is £109,000.
The
implications, should additional funding not be put into place, is quite simply
that the developments cannot take place.
APPENDICES
ATTACHED
Best Value
Achievements since 1 April 2003.
BACKGROUND
PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
§
Youth and Community
Service Best Value Review – January 2003
§
Youth and Community
Service Performance Management Plan – 2003/2004
§
Directorate of
Education and Community Development Plan 2004/2005
§
Isle of Wight
Corporate Plan 2002/2005
Contact
Point: George Weech, Principal Youth and Community Officer, ( 823490, [email protected]
DAVID PETTITT
Strategic Director of Education and
Community Development