Contact: Ray Barnard, ext 6424

1. Summary

1.1 This report is intended to inform members of the Best Value Review Panel (Education/Social Services) on progress so far with this inter-departmental review of services for young people, with particular emphasis on the challenge at the core of the review, the establishment of the review team, actions to date and a timeframe for completion of the review.

2. The Central Challenge

2.1 The central challenge at the core of the review is the fact that it is not a review of a specific, easily defined, service but rather an `affiliation' of services commissioned and provided across the County Council. In addition, the Review Team believe, that it is essential to take account of the services offered to young people by district councils and the non-statutory sector, in order to ensure that a coherent strategy is developed for the future.

2.2 The effect of this situation has been that a good deal of attention has been given in the early stages to agreeing the scope of the review and providing a framework against which services can be measured.

3. Review Team

3.1 The team has been established with representation from the County Youth Service, Social Services, Education and the Police.

3.2 Mary Tyler from De Montfort University is providing an academic perspective based on long experience of young people's services.

3.3 It is anticipated that the team will be joined by officers of other departments of the County Council following the meeting of `internal stakeholders' scheduled for 5 October 2001.

3.4 Prior to the County Council elections Councillors Wheeler, Peskett and Devereux had been appointed to the review and attended review team meetings and the challenge workshop. Confirmation of the new nominees is awaited.

4. External Challenge

4.1 A robust external challenge team has been established and thus far has met for one workshop with others planned for key times in the review (appendix 3). A range of agencies offering services to young people have been invited to send a representative to join the challenge team including voluntary organisations. A principal youth officer from another authority and a member of the local business community have also been invited to the workshops.

4.2 The first workshop was useful in helping the review team to clarify areas of priority for services to young people. Those attending stressed the importance of consulting young people.

5. Consultation

5.1 Consultation has taken place amongst Youth Service staff, with officers of district councils and with young people themselves through Miller Associates acting on the County Council's behalf. Further consultation is planned with County Council staff and with groups of young people in focus groups and youth councils. The County Youth Service annual surveys of young people for 2000 and 2001 contain information relevant to the review.

5.2 The contribution of other County Council departments, along with financial data is being sought. A meeting with officers from departments to identify the specific services for young people is arranged for 5 October 2001.

5.3 A trawl for information about services offered to young people by district councils was undertaken early in the review. A consultative meeting was held on 10 September with officers from district councils. At the meeting some initial work was done on identifying the objectives of services for young people where district councils take a lead or supportive role. Interest was expressed at the meeting in the possibility of a coherent strategy of services for young people in Hampshire, being an outcome of the review

6. Compare

6.1 Some work has begun on comparing Youth Service specific performance data collected by The National Youth Agency from Hampshire with data from nine other shire counties (appendix 1). The review team need to do additional work on this aspect of the review.

7. Competition

7.1 This element of the best value review processes is scheduled to be considered by the review team at future meetings. (appendix 3)

8. Scoping Report

8.1 Draft scoping reports were initially considered by the Review Team in June. It was agreed that the reports were too tightly focussed on the County Youth Service and Social Services. A new draft scoping report, reflecting the inter departmental nature of the review, is required. The new draft scoping report will therefore be presented to the Best Value Steering Group at its November meeting and to the next meeting of the Best Value Review Panel (Education and Social Services).

8.2 It is planned that the draft scoping report will include the following appendices:

Service Specification Appendix 1

Project Brief Appendix 2

Project Plan Appendix 3

8.3 To ensure that members of the Best Value Review Panel are as fully informed as possible attached to this report are the current working drafts of the documents listed above. These documents are due to be considered at the next meeting of the Review Team.

9. Timescales

9.1 Agreement has already been obtained from Members to this review taking place over two years. It is planned to present the final report of the review in July 2002. See attached project plan for further detail of the timescale.

10. Recommendation.

11.1 That the Best Value Review Panel approves the proposals for this review.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The Following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.