West Sussex youth services hit by £2m of cuts

Youth work, Connexions and youth offending workers will become part of a streamlined integrated youth support and development service as part of the plans.

The new service, which will launch in April next year, will concentrate funding on targeting specific groups, including young offenders, looked-after children, teenage parents and those not in education, employment or training (Neet).

Staffing cuts in youth work are also expected, although this is likely to focus on management roles. Youth clubs will also be expected to become more self-funding and council funding for charities involved in youth work will be cut.

Youth projects and clubs affected include: Crawley Youth Centre; Cobnor Outdoor Centre; Konnect Project in Bognor Regis; Chichester Boys Club; Lodge Hill, near Pulborough; and the Rural Mobile Trust.
 
The plans were announced by the council’s cabinet member for children and families councillor Pete Bradbury.

He said: "It’s no secret the county council has to make huge financial savings and find new ways of working. Every service is being looked at in turn to make sure it is as efficient as possible.

"We will focus our resources at communities most in need across West Sussex. In those areas where we cannot provide, we will play a key role to enable communities and other partners to run youth services themselves, very much part of the big society agenda."