NCS investment prompts youth services warning

The call by the Local Government Association (LGA) follows the announcement in the Queen's Speech yesterday that the government will legislate to place NCS on a “statutory footing”.

?Details set out in background notes, published by the Cabinet Office, show that there will be a new statutory framework to deliver the programme, and government will provide £1.2bn in funding for the period up to 2020.

?A new duty will also be placed on local authorities and schools to promote the scheme to all young people and their parents and it is hoped the bill will strengthen links between young people and local authorities, schools and central government to promote the programme.

??Roy Perry, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said the NCS programme is “a good scheme” that provides many children and young people with positive experiences.

??But he warned that the expansion of NCS should not be at the expense of other provision. ??

“With many local services under pressure since 2010 following substantial cuts to local government funding, it is vital that money to run the NCS should not be at the expense of restoring and supporting local services for young people,” he said.

??“Councils – who know their communities best – must be able to provide services tailored to local needs.”??

Perry added that if local authorities are to be required to actively promote the NCS, it is essential that there is a reciprocal duty on providers to engage with local authorities, including a duty to share relevant data, so that promotion activity is effectively targeted.

Spending data submitted to the government shows youth service spending by councils has close to halved in the space of four years from £1.2bn in 2010/11 to £627m in 2014/15. ?

Youth minister Rob Wilson has previously stated in parliament that he is “very disappointed” that councils are choosing to cut back their youth services and that the NCS scheme is “complementary to, not a replacement for”, local government services.