Half of Buckinghamshire youth team jobs at risk
Ross Watson
Monday, April 26, 2010
Nearly half of Buckinghamshire County Council's youth team could be made redundant under plans to outsource parts of the service, CYP Now has learned.
The council has sent a 40-page consultation paper to all youth service staff that states generic services, such as youth clubs, could be contracted out to private and voluntary organisations. However, targeted and detached youth work services will continue to be delivered directly by the council.
In the paper, all full-time staff have been offered the opportunity to take voluntary redundancy or express an interest in a role under the new structure.
Penny Gray, Buckinghamshire branch secretary for trade union Unison, said that under the structure being proposed 24 jobs could be cut from the team of around 60. "All these firms are lining up to take on contracts, but they want to make a profit. The current service is not concerned with profit," she said.
Di Burnett, a Buckinghamshire youth worker who has seen the consultation, said: "It's a disaster. The council is cutting important jobs and it's going to have a massive knock-on effect for young people."
A spokeswoman for the Conservative-controlled council said it must save £27m over the next three years, and is consequently reviewing how it delivers services to young people.
"No decisions have yet been made. We are currently consulting with staff, young people and key partner agencies," she added.
The Conservative Party has stated it would like more services for young people delivered by voluntary organisations.
