HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area

1.1 It is recommended that the Executive Member for Children and Families approves Youth Opportunity Fund grant applications as follows:

Name of project	Recommended Grant
Youth Worker `What Mayfield is Missing'	30,000
	Total £30,000

1.2 It is recommended that the Executive Member approves the application relating to Children's Fund final amount for 2008/09 of £6,926.

2) Issues Covered in Report

2.1. The decision supports the following Hampshire County Council priority.

"Making Hampshire safer and more secure for all" - by supporting organisations that provide positive activities for children and young people.

"Maximising well being" - by supporting organisations that deliver services to children and young people or are funded by children and young people or aim to help vulnerable children and young people.

2.2. The decision supports the following Aims of the Children Act:

As well as enabling voluntary organisations, grants help them to achieve the five outcomes of Every Child Matters by encouraging young people to stay safe, be healthy, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well being.

3) Recommendations

3.1. It is recommended that the Executive Member for Children and Families approves Youth Opportunity Fund grant applications for 2008/2009 totalling £30,000 as detailed in paragraph (3) of this report.

3.2. It is recommended that the Executive Member approves the grant applications for £6,926 relating to the Children's Fund under spend as detailed in 3 of this report.

.

MAIN REPORT

1) Purpose of the Report

1.1. Grants over £5,000 from the Youth Opportunities Fund require the approval of the Executive Member. The report recommends the Executive Member for Children and Families approve grants totalling £30,000 on this occasion from the Youth Opportunity Fund.

1.2. Grants over £5,000 from the previous Children's Fund element of the ABG require the approval of the Executive Member. The report recommends the Executive Member for Children and Families approve the grant totalling £6,926 on this occasion from the Children's Fund budget element of the ABG.

2) Contextual Information

2.1. Youth Opportunity Fund grants are intended to give young people, aged between 13 and 19 years, more choice and the opportunity to take greater control over what is available in their area. The funds are to be distributed at young people's discretion on projects raised by young people to improve things to do and places to go in their area. The fund, given by the Government, were made available in September 2006 with new financial year funding being allocated in April 2008, these are to be distributed and used by March 2009, with a limit of 5% underspend allowance.

Youth Opportunity Funds are intended to involve young people, especially `hard to reach' young people, who may not easily access provision available to most young people, in identifying positive activities and things to do; and to support their role as decision makers, grant givers and project leaders.

Individuals, or groups of young people from Hampshire who are aged between 13-19 years can apply for grants. Projects that involve or benefit groups of vulnerable young people will be given additional weighting in the decision making processes.

2.2. Supporting young people and youth organisations through the Youth Opportunity Fund extends the capacity to increase delivery of effective youth work and supports Corporate Priorities. Providing positive activities for young people leads to safer and more secure communities, the personal and social development of young people leads to maximising their well being and the improvement of facilities enhances the quality of place. As well as enabling youth work organisations grants help them to work towards the five outcomes of Every Child Matters by encouraging young people to stay safe, be healthy, enjoy and achieve make a positive contribution and achieve economic well being.

2.3. What was formally the Children's Fund element of the Area based grant was preventive money to be spent on children and young people aged five to thirteen years. Because there is a well-established process for these funds to be allocated at a local, District based level, via Local Partnership Groups, (LPG) this process is continuing for this financial year as a transitional measure. Each District receives an allocation determined by using the formula drawn from central government Indices of Deprivation. During the year, slippage may occur as projects end, or underspend their allocation for other reasons. These sums are then re-allocated by the LPG, but in cases where the recommended amount is over £5,000, this must be approved by the Executive Member. The project outlined in (3.2) below has been put forward for approval by the Gosport LPG.

3) Key Issues

Grant applications for approval at this meeting.

3.1 Youth Worker `What Mayfield is Missing'

The funds will pay for a full time youth worker for one year in the Mayfield, (Farnborough), Rushmoor District. The youth worker will co ordinate and support a new youth centre that is to be set up young people, benefiting many young people in the area. Mayfield is in the top 20% socially/ economically deprived areas in England with a high amount of crime, anti social behaviour and tensions between groups of young people.

The Youth Centre will provide a safe place for Young People to access. Providing a supported social group environment, activities and general information available for young people, the hope is to lessen the amount of crime and antisocial behaviour.

A grant of £30,000 is recommended.

3.2 Rowner, Bridgemary and Lee Youth Ministry

To contribute towards funds to employ a full time youth worker (as part of a three year strategy) across the cluster parishes of Rowner, Bridgemary and Lee. The full time worker will work alongside other statutory agencies that support young people with a view to enhancing community based youth work. The aims of the project are aligned towards the Gosport CYPP priorities and enables young people within the area to have a voice within the local communities and be involved in decision making processes.

A grant of £6926 is recommended.

4. Conclusions

Youth Opportunity Fund 2008 - 09

Actions

Contingency plan established for remaining amount

Marketing - Website and posters produced and distributed

5. Consultation

5.1 All Youth Opportunity Funds applications are recommended by the relevant District young people scrutiny panel before being submitted for ratification by the Hampshire County Council.

5.2 All Children's Fund applications are recommended by the Local Partnership Group before being submitted for approval by the Executive Member Board.

6. Legal Implications

6.1 Whilst all organisations in receipt of grant funding receive a grant agreement specifying the terms and conditions of funding, these are not legally binding.

7. Financial Implications

7.1 The recommended grants can be met from within the 2008/2009 revenue budget provision

8. Personnel Implications

7.1 No personnel implications have been identified for County Council staff. However, the recommendations may lead to a greater security in funding within the voluntary sector and may lead to increased employment.

9. Impact Assessment

9.1 Race and equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report and no adverse impact has been identified.

10. Crime Prevention Issues

10.1 It has been demonstrated that good youth work reduces the likelihood of some young people being involved in crime. These recommendations will lead to improving partnerships between those involved in youth work by supporting a range of positive opportunities for young people.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION: