Ben Bradshaw: 'short sighted' Youth Service cuts will cost more in the long term

Exeter’s MP Ben Bradshaw has said that Devon County Council cuts are ' very short-sighted' and will lead "to more social problems down the line" today at a meeting with users of the Westside Youth centre on Merrivale Road

Over 20 young people, many of whom missed school to attend, spoke with Mr Bradshaw and Devon County Councillor Roy Hill to voice their concerns on the potential cuts to Devon’s Youth Service.

Young people who use the youth centre spoke of their anger at the extent of the proposed cuts to the service and expressed concerns that any communtiy-run alterntive service would be inadequate due to a lack of professional staff.

The cuts of around are currently being reviewed as part of a public consultation and could see the council pull out from running all of its 34 youth centres around the county.

The proposed cuts to the youth service budget come as part of a parcel of cuts to nearly all council services  as the council attempt to reduce their spending by £110 million over the next three years following a cut to Devon’s funding from central government.

Speaking after the meeting, Ben Bradshaw, said: “[These cuts are] Devastating, very short-sighted and a real false economy because as we’ve heard from the young people here today this youth service provides them with an activity that if it wasn’t here would in the long run lead to a lot more social problems down the line and cost us a lot more as a society.”

“It seems that once again it’s the young and the vulnerable that are paying the price for the global financial crash which they have absolutely no responsibility for while the bankers are still getting their bonuses and the wealthy are getting a massive tax cut it’s not a fair a way of dealing with the countries economic problems.”

While the consultation process is still ongoing campaigners have pointed out that the council’s budget which was passed last month included a £740k the youth service this year. A further £927k is expected to be cut from the budget next year.

Many of the young people who use the centre also feel that a community or church run service as proposed by the council would be insufficient due to a lack of professionally trained staff.

Young people also said that they doubted if a community run service was even possible in their area.

17-year-old Curtis Gillard, said: “They may not take this place on, the four months or more that we have left may be the last time we actually see the inside of these. We’ll see the outside but they’ll be boarded up.

“I really don’t think it’s safe because the amount of people who actually put the input and care into this place really do want to make a difference.

“But obviously Devon County Council, John Hart and William Mumford don’t care about young people’s opinions.

“They haven’t got the right to take it off us; they haven’t got the right to take from elderly people in care homes.

“They could keep a youth centre open if they donated just a little bit and  if they had the slightest care we could keep one open maybe two maybe just even  for another year.

“You can see the amount of people standing here right now, the amount of people who actually do care about this place and really want to make a difference.

“I want to wish the councillors who want to shut this place down a massive good luck, because we’re going to do everything that is possible to keep this place open. Young people do care and they are actually going to make a difference.”

Cllr Roy Hill said:“What about the knock on effect?  These kids have got a place here, where they can come, they can congregate, they can be safe, they can be warm, amongst their friends building up good relationships with one another. This is our tomorrow, these young people.”

“I think this is motivated by money, but you’ve got balance money against providing a service to the community remember these people are going to cut day centres for the elderly, cut homes for children and for the vulnerable and cut subsidies on the meals for some people.

“We all know we’ve got difficult times but you’ve got to draw line.”