Shropshire Council youth service cuts are reduced by £39,000

The authority's cabinet today gave the green light to revised funding plans, which will see the loss of more than £60,000 in funding overall.

The original plan was to reduce the budget by nearly 50 per cent from £234,950 to £135,000 and cut funding for the most rural areas.

But after an average of 94 per cent of the 335 responses to four questions posed in the consultation disagreed with the proposals, the funding was reviewed.

Now the funding will be cut from £234,950 to £174,500, and certain rural local joint committees (LJC) can bid into a centrally held grant.

Shrewsbury will be hit by the biggest cut, with funding dropping from £81,500 to £25,000 in the next financial year.

Market Drayton, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch and Ludlow will receive £14,500 each, dropping in some cases and rising in others.

Watch the video of the meeting:

Councillor David Vasmer, for Underdale, said that a task and finish group had recommended that Shrewsbury should receive £45,000.

"A substantial cut is being made to Shrewsbury without proper consultation," he said.

Councillor Nicholas Bardsley, portfolio holder for children and young people, said there was a lengthy consultation and that he accepted every invitation to meetings that he received.

He added: "We had a lot of individual responses to the consultation but also responses from youth groups, LJCs and town and parish councils.

"The response was overwhelming that the council should continue funding youth activities in the rural areas.

Reduction

"This report reflects the result of the consultation, we've taken on board what people have said to us.

"There is a reduction in funding for Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Market Drayton, the timing isn't perfect I do appreciate that, but every town and parish council was aware of the proposals well before Christmas but one or two have already set their precepts before this meeting today.

"It seems to me to be a sensible proposal."

Councillor Madge Shineton, for Cleobury Mortimer, welcomed the proposal. She said: "It shows that our young people have a very important part to play as well."

The report states: "The feedback also showed that whilst respondees would like to see all the council’s funding for youth activities continue at current levels, they particularly would like funding in rural areas to be protected.

"The revised funding proposals will result in 18 LJCs continuing to receive a funding allocation in 2018/19 at broadly similar levels to the status quo.

"The exceptions are Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Market Drayton LJCs. Where the town council within these areas has previously indicated that they will consider financially supporting youth activity."