Cuts to the Youth Service are just another attack by the Tories on a vital public service they see as an easy target says GMB Union

GMB, the union for Derbyshire County Council workers, says £8 million cuts to youth services will leave jobs in jeopardy and could cause a crime wave.

The Conservative-led local authority wants to slash £8 million from the £12.97 million youth service budget as part of a proposed redesign of the early help services.

GMB, which represents more than a thousand members across the council,  says there proposals leave members at risk of redundancy and also increases the risk for potential anti-social behaviour and knife crime, leaving many young people vulnerable and isolated.  

The results of a questionnaire commissioned by the council as part of its consultation revealed that many of the respondents who took part disagreed with the council’s proposals, claiming ‘the council should not only continue to provide a youth service but should be looking to increase it’, ‘youth clubs are a safe place to go and ‘this is a vital service and cuts to reduce it could harm children.’

The union is gravely concerned as to where this will leave GMB members working for the service and is calling for urgent talks with the council.

Jon Smith, GMB Organiser, said:

“The council want to slash GMB members’ jobs and cut millions from our already over stretched youth service.

“This will place unbelievable strain on schools that will have to pick-up the shortfall in service provision that the proposals will create.  

“The ultimate outcome could well be a crime wave across Derbyshire.

“The work undertaken by the youth Services is a vital community provision -  it enables young people to develop holistically and provides vital support with employment, training and education.

“Youth workers work with young people to enable them to build confidence and self-esteem, raise aspirations, and provide support with sex education and other important issues such as mental health, knife crime, drug and alcohol abuse.

 “The positive impact of youth workers in the community is invaluable and without these services we may see more anti-social behaviour, increasing crime, teenage pregnancy, alcohol and substance misuse and more children being accommodated by the local authority.

“Cuts to the Youth Service are just another attack by the Tories on a vital public service they see as an easy target.”

ENDS

Contact: Jon Smith on 0345 337 7777 or GMB Press Office on 07958 156846 or at [email protected]