Archived decisions

Contact: Colin Poynter, Youth Service Manager, Tel: 01962 846246

1. Introduction

1.1 Hampshire County Council has been asked to commit to a service level agreement with the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP).

1.2 Support for local Members of the UK Youth Parliament (MYPs) is currently provided through the Youth Service.

1.3 The current level of support for the UKYP is in line with much of what the service level agreement would commit Hampshire County Council to providing. There are however, a number of additional roles and responsibilities to which Hampshire County Council are requested to commit. Some of which have financial and operational implications.

2. Current Level of Support

2.1 Through the Youth Service, Hampshire County Council currently supports MYPs and the UKYP by:

· Providing a Development Youth Worker who, as one of their responsibilities, supports local MYPs to engage with the UKYP at regional and national level

· Liaising, through the Development Youth Worker, with UKYP Regional and National Co-ordinators

· Organising annual public elections for MYPs

· Covering some of the travel costs of local MYPs to local, regional and national meetings

3. Additional Responsibilities

3.1 The proposed service level agreement would commit Local Authorities to meeting all the costs that MYPs incur in the course of the duties, which will include travel expenses and any residential costs for national and regional events.

3.2 The support worker is required to accompany MYPs to all meetings at local, regional and national level as well as any additional meetings including MPs. With six MYPs in Hampshire, all of whom take their duties very seriously, this is a considerable commitment.

3.3 There is a requirement that an opportunity be provided at least once a year for the MYPs to make presentation to the full County Council.

3.4 The service level agreement would commit Hampshire County Council to help implement relevant sections of the UKYP's Manifesto and Agenda for Action, where this is practical and in keeping with agreed policy.

3.5 £7,000 is requested from Policy and Resources funds, as the agreement to support for the UK Parliament will be with the County Council and therefore a corporate issue. The support requested will fund the affiliation fees, individual expenses and annual elections of the Youth MPs. Ongoing youth work support will continue to be facilitated by the Hampshire County Youth Service.

3.6 Section 508 Education Act 1996 obliges a local education authority to ensure that the facilities provided for their area's primary and secondary school age children include adequate facilities for recreation, social and physical training. For this purpose the authority may do a number of things, including organising "games, expeditions and other activities for such persons" and may defray or contribute towards the expenses of these. The activities reported in paragraph 2 above and the proposals in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.3 above would fall within these powers. Activities in paragraph 3.4 respond to the developing citizenship agenda and `Hear by Right' report, which outlines standards for the active involvement of young people in democracy.

Section 100D, Local Government Act 1972 background papers.

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

N.B. The List excludes:

· published works

· documents which disclose exempt or confidential information defined in the Act.

Hear By Right: Local Government Association and National Youth Agency Report 2001.