CONNEXIONS chiefs say local youngsters will be better off when the youth service moves under its wing.
It took the casting vote of Cheshire County Council’s chairman Neville Price to make the decision to out-source the county council-run youth service last month.
The decision will create a wide-ranging external service backed by a £12m-plus budget. Employing 350 staff, it will have responsibilities ranging from local and outreach youth services to careers and specialist support and advice.
There have been fears from youth workers that it would diminish the service to young people, but Anne Rutherford, information and research manager at Connexions Cheshire based in Northwich, said that wouldn’t be the case.
She said: ‘We welcome the opportunity to bring services together and maximise the resources we have. Young people will see it as a more seamless service. It should make more sense to them and there’ll be less duplication.
‘I understand when there’s change people will be concerned, but there’s nothing to suggest services will suffer at all. We will engage young people in how we put the services together.
‘I’ve spoken to members of the youth parliament who have been keen to get involved. It’s a great opportunity for them to make their mark.’
Ms Rutherford is adamant the change will not be too costly. ‘We hope to get funding from the Government,’ she said. ‘The county council wants to make sure we deliver value for money and cut out duplication.’
Dan Moxon, chairman of the Cheshire branch of the Community and Youth Workers’ Union, had lobbied to retain the youth service in the county council and for the council to instead absorb Connexions.
He said it could lead to cutbacks and a drop in standards for youths.
He added: ‘I’m disappointed but we will work hard to ensure that both the youth service and Connexions are both of equal importance in the service as it’s taken forward.
‘Based on the experiences of authorities across the country, we have found the quality of youth services suffers when carried out outside the council.
‘We have concerns about the future. The transition period of a year will make or break the service but we will work to make sure it succeeds.’
But Cllr David Rowlands, executive member for children’s services, defended the changeover, He said: ‘We are talking about combining the qualities of two excellent organisations, each with its own expertise, experience and fine track record of success, for the benefit of young people in Cheshire.’
The service will be up and running by April.
