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Video: The battle over Derbyshire county council youth services
This is the latest in our series of interviews with people who are dealing first-hand with public sector cuts in their regions.
This report is from a recent Derbyshire county council meeting. Service users and campaigners are concerned about a Derbyshire county council proposal to cut youth service budgets by about £800,000 this year and to outsource youth services to the voluntary and independent sectors (PDF 34KB). They say that they doubt the same services can be delivered, particularly on reduced budgets.
Buildings may also be closed as part of the council's plans.
Local youth campaigner Greg Roberts collected more than 16,000 signatures for a petition to save directly-provided youth services. He and other service users talk about their concerns in the video below. The video also follows the petition's progress through the council meeting.
The council says that it is still looking at consultation findings.
Key changes affecting and concerning these service users:
- significant cuts to youth services budgets (an £800,000 cut in 2012)
- potential loss of community buildings for daycentre and other activities
Local press stories:
Turning our backs on youth spells disaster
Heated exchanges as shakeup to youth services voted through
Kate Belgrave blogs on the experience of public service users facing cuts.
- Posted by: Kate Belgrave at 8:00am on 29 April 2012
- Filed under: Children and young people, Disability, Interviews, Local government, Voluntary sector
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