Protest Against Youth Service Cuts

Seven voluntary sector groups have written to the mayor and the chief exec to protest the cuts in youth service funding, (see text below). The mayor has planned to take some £300,000 from the youth service budget over the next two years.

At a cost of £300,000 these services “engage with” (whatever that means) some 3721 young people a year.

The writers of the letter employ one of this year’s buzz words, asserting that the cuts lack equity. Really, Mayor Fiaz should only be taking £75,000 from the commissioned services.

What this round of cuts displays is that Mayor Fiaz does not seem to have a clear idea of what she wants the youth services to do for the money she provides. Rather than evaluate what is done and what goals she seeks from the commissioned youth work, and then commission accordingly, she is reduced to salami slicing. Although it does seem that these organisations are having several slices taken off at once.

Cuts followed by more cuts is a well-trodden path taken by managers who neither know what they want nor the value of what they get. It’s an easy(ish) response to budget difficulties but one which is ultimately irrational.

The opposition have joined the fray in support of the voluntary sector. Cllr Nakvi took to Twitter/X as follows:

Cutting costs by reducing expenditure to outside bodies is a response that is almost inevitable when the mayor has lost control of her costs. Councillors are pushing back, but it is probably too late for these groups this year.

The text of the letter sent to all councillors:

19th February 2024 

London Borough of Newham 

1000 Dockside Road 

London E16 2QU 

Dear Mayor & Chief Executive of Newham, 

As Chief Executives of the Commissioned Youth Services within Newham, we are writing to express our deep concern regarding the proposed budget cuts that will significantly impact our services to children and young people across the borough. 

The proposal to cut £150k annually from the youth commissioned services for the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26, resulting in a total reduction of £300k in 2026/27, is distressing for us and the young people and families that we serve. We urge the council to reconsider this decision. 

It is important to highlight that the current costs of the Youth Empowerment Service (YES) is double the cost of the Voluntary Community Faith (VCF) commissioned services. Despite this, our services remain highly cost-effective, with a unit cost per young person of £4.13pppw (higher for SEND). 

Furthermore, the Commissioned Services currently engage with over 3721 young people each year. These services are vital for our community, providing essential support and opportunities for our youth. 

The key issues we wish to bring to your attention are as follows: 

1. Accessibility: Many young people will not travel to other areas in Newham to access youth provision, especially due to concerns about serious youth violence, robberies, and knife crime, as evidenced by local crime data from the Metropolitan Police Service and Community Safety Partnership. In light of this we offer service to young people in the neighbourhood where they live. 

2. Disproportionate Cuts: The proposed £150k cut per year lacks equity and is not based on data. Furthermore, no impact measurement has been made of the detrimental outcomes for children and young people who currently access VCF youth provision.

In light of these concerns, we propose the following alternatives for consideration: 

1. No Reduction: Find £150k of savings from the current YES budgets in full. 

2. Proportionate Reduction: Implement a proportionate reduction in the budget of £75k, with the other £75k to be found from within the current YES budget. 

3. No Reduction in 2026/27: Ensure that young people can access a youth offer within a 15-minute walk or cycle from where they live in line with the 15- minute neighbourhood strategy. We respectfully request that the information provided above be carefully considered in all future funding decisions. Our youth deserve the best possible support and resources, and we believe that maintaining adequate funding for youth services is essential for the well-being and future prospects of our community. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response. 

Sincerely, 

Helen Fernandes – West Silvertown Foundation 

Lee Hemming – Fight for Peace 

Sarah Laing - Bonny Downs 

Jonny Boux - Ambitious Aspire Achieve 

Peter Laing – Renewal Programme 

Paul Leslie - Rights and Equalities in Newham 

Kurtis Doe – RDLAC