Young people in Stockton on Tees already had a say in how money was spent on them before the youth opportunity and youth capital funds were created in 2006. The local YouthBank had proved so popular that councillors handed it responsibility for spending the £261,924 youth opportunity fund allocation, leaving the YouthBank free to make grants to various youth projects in the area. The youth-led initiative also decided to invest the £236,543 youth capital fund money in the council's strategic priority - the development of youth cafes.
Who is making the decisions? Stockton has a core of about 10 young members drawn from across a variety of backgrounds. Chris Downie, youth empowerment officer, says: "There's a core membership with a lot of knowledge. They know the cost of things; they know the good providers and so on. They can say to groups: 'Hang on, why don't you try these people?'"
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