Lib Dems to vote on statutory youth services
Adam Offord
Friday, September 4, 2015
Liberal Democrats will this month vote on whether to pursue a policy of making local authorities provide a statutory youth service.
Matthew Hulbert, a Lib Dem party member and co-founder of a new group, the Lib Dem Friends of Youth Services, said he is putting forward a motion at the party’s annual conference calling for an urgent review of youth services and for funding to be restored wherever possible.
“An amendment is being put to that which will also call for the funding of youth services to be put on a statutory footing, which has my support,” he said.
Following May’s general election the influence of the Liberal Democrats has declined significantly – with representation in parliament falling from 57 seats to just eight.
Hulbert said the Lib Dem Friends of Youth Services has been formed to campaign internally to influence the party line on youth services in the current parliament and through to the next general election in 2020.
“The other part of it is being able to speak out by whatever means possible, joining other people from the sector who are saying that young people are being dumped on time and again – whether it be youth services, or cuts to benefits.
“What have young people done to deserve being treated in this way by government?”
News that the Lib Dems will vote on a policy of statutory youth services follows a pledge last month by Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn to pursue statutory youth services if he is chosen to head the party.
Corbyn said his party should maintain a commitment to a statutory youth services in order to offer young people the benefit of wide-ranging advice, guidance and support to access further and higher education.
The Lib Dem conference begins in Bournemouth on 19 September.