This Council views with dismay the Council Executive proposals to close ALL of Trafford Youth Centres and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Centre, along with four more Children Centres, as well as the discontinuation of holiday play schemes, the withdrawal of the Outdoor Education Team, Street Based Youth Work Teams – and to provide only the minimum statutory duty for Connexions and the Education Welfare services.

Clearly Trafford Council has a responsibility and duty to back and support the next generation, and the future of our young people must be paramount and our top priority. Therefore we call on the Council Executive to reconsider its proposal for the mass closure of children and youth provision in Trafford.

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council views with dismay the Council Executive proposals to close ALL of Trafford Youth Centres and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Centre, along with four more Children Centres, as well as the discontinuation of holiday play schemes, the withdrawal of the Outdoor Education Team, Street Based Youth Work Teams – and to provide only the minimum statutory duty for Connexions and the Education Welfare services.

Clearly Trafford Council has a responsibility and duty to back and support the next generation, and the future of our young people must be paramount and our top priority. Therefore we call on the Council Executive to reconsider its proposal for the mass closure of children and youth provision in Trafford.”

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

“This Council regrets the proposals issued for consultation to overcome the fiscal challenge it faces, to close all of Trafford’s open access youth centres and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Centre, along with four more children centres, as well as the discontinuation of holiday play schemes, the withdrawal of the Outdoor Education Team, Street Based Youth Work Teams and to provide only the minimum statutory duty for Connexions and the Education Welfare services. 

We recognise the Early Years Intervention proposal targets remaining provision at the most vulnerable young people, and is similar to that put forward by Labour controlled Oldham.

Trafford Council recognises it has a responsibility and duty to back and support the next generation, and the future of our young people must be paramount and a key priority for the Borough.

Therefore we resolve that all Members will fully engage with the current consultation with a view to identifying alternative delivery models that both enable the necessary financial savings to be made and ensure that sustainable youth provision is maintained. 

In addition, the Council Executive will work with partners across the Borough to mitigate the impact of the proposals should they proceed.

At conclusion of the consultation period, the Council Executive would then be able to consider its proposals for the future youth provision in Trafford on a fully informed basis taking into consideration all feedback received.”

[Note: During the debate on the amendment, the time being 8.49 p.m., the Mayor indicated that all speeches on this item would now be limited to a maximum of one minute per speaker.]

Following a debate on the matter, the amendment was put to the vote and declared carried. The substantive Motion was then put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council regrets the proposals issued for consultation to overcome the fiscal challenge it faces, to close all of Trafford’s open access youth centres and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Centre, along with four more children centres, as well as the discontinuation of holiday play schemes, the withdrawal of the Outdoor Education Team, Street Based Youth Work Teams and to provide only the minimum statutory duty for Connexions and the Education Welfare services. 

We recognise the Early Years Intervention proposal targets remaining provision at the most vulnerable young people, and is similar to that put forward by Labour controlled Oldham.

Trafford Council recognises it has a responsibility and duty to back and support the next generation, and the future of our young people must be paramount and a key priority for the Borough.

Therefore we resolve that all Members will fully engage with the current consultation with a view to identifying alternative delivery models that both enable the necessary financial savings to be made and ensure that sustainable youth provision is maintained. 

In addition, the Council Executive will work with partners across the Borough to mitigate the impact of the proposals should they proceed.

At conclusion of the consultation period, the Council Executive would then be able to consider its proposals for the future youth provision in Trafford on a fully informed basis taking into consideration all feedback received.