Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Police & Policy Co-ordination/Safer & Stronger Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/064

Contact: Claire Phillips, Partnership Officer Tel: (01865) 323967/Alexandra Bailey, Corporate Performance & Review Manager Tel: (01865) 816384

Report by Head of Strategy & Communications (CA8).

The council’s proposed changes to services for children, young people and families include the creation of a new Integrated Early Intervention Service. The Early Intervention Service model, mean significant changes to the way that youth services are provided in Oxfordshire. In future youth work will no longer be provided in a number of locations.

Young People's Centres that are no longer required for service provision are being made available for transfer to the community as part of the council's Big Society Offer. A number of these centres are on school sites. Where there is a recognised educational need for the building on a school site bids these will be given priority to transfer to the school.

This report sets out the position with regard to young people's centres on school sites and where there are requests to transfer them to the school.  

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to :

a.                  agree transfer of buildings to the school on the following sites:

·                                Sweatbox young people’s centre at King Alfred’s School east site and to include this building within the transfer of ownership to the school that is already underway;

·                                Eynsham young people’s centre at Bartholomew School;

·                                Existing young people’s centre space at Chipping Norton School on completion of the project;

b.                 request a sustainable business case to come forward for the future management and use of the Wheatley Young People’s Centre led by the Children’s Centre;

c.                  encourage proposals to come forward for the remaining young people’s centres on school sites for Cabinet consider as part of the Big Society Fund.

Cabinet considered a report that set out the position with regard to young people's centres on school sites and where there were requests to transfer them to a number of schools. 

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, speaking as a local member referred to local efforts to ensure the future of ‘Sweatbox’ and supported the transfer. She commented that the school had been supportive. She expressed her gratitude for the support of officers in putting a bid together and hoped that this would come forward in July.

The Cabinet Member for Police & Policy Co-ordination in welcoming the report referred to the positive cross Directorate working and the involvement throughout of local Councillors.

RESOLVED:             to :

(a)       agree transfer of buildings to the school on the following sites:

·                                Sweatbox young people’s centre at King Alfred’s School east site and to include this building within the transfer of ownership to the school that is already underway;

·                                Eynsham young people’s centre at Bartholomew School;

·                                Existing young people’s centre space at Chipping Norton School on completion of the project;

(b)       request a sustainable business case to come forward for the future management and use of the Wheatley Young People’s Centre led by the Children’s Centre;

(c)        encourage proposals to come forward for the remaining young people’s centres on school sites for Cabinet consider as part of the Big Society Fund.