If the move goes ahead it could see cuts to management positions, but local councillors are understood to be in favour of the plan. John Bryant, a Liberal Democrat councillor for the West Hampstead ward of the London borough, said: "We must be wary of compartmentalism. There should be clear interwoven elements of what we are doing with the youth service."
Bryant said funding for young people's services has become more focused on dealing with groups with specific problems, such as young offenders, and young people not in education, employment or training.
He said youth provision should come under the remit of more councillors than just the one responsible for youth - for example, the member responsible for parks. A council spokeswoman said discussions on the merger are at an early stage.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
