This report presents options for spending on the Council’s Youth Ambition Programme.

The Director of Community Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Councillor Steve Curran presented the report to the City Executive Board.  Scrutiny comments on this matter had been considered earlier in the meeting (minute 21 refers)

Resolved to:-

a)      Note the analysis in this report of current local provision, the delivery options and means to bring in additional external funding, and,

b)      Agree that for the remainder of 2012/13 the Youth Ambition Programme funding be committed broadly on the basis of:-

i)                    Up to 14 sessions each week to be delivered through the City Council’s Positive Futures Team focused on those areas of greatest need and lowest relative provision where there is currently no viable alternative provider;

ii)                  An £50k being made available to support by grants open access sessions delivered by other suitable providers for the remainder of this year;

iii)                The remainder of funding for 2012/13 to be retained in a Youth Ambition Fund available to support bids to external funders to provide positive activities for young people in the Council’s priority areas and other areas of relative deprivation;

         iv)           Request that the Direct of Community Services produces a strategy for the development of the Council’s Youth Ambition Programme with appropriate objectives and targets;

iv)                In future years the balance of spending to be agreed following a detailed service planning exercise with a view to maximising the overall impact of the programme with the emphasis to be on supporting others to develop and deliver services to meet the objectives and targets of the Youth Ambition Programme;

         vi)        Delegate to the Director of Community Services authority to approve:-

                        - The detailed allocation of funding in line with the above proposals;

                        - The grant criteria and any applications;

                        - Future years detailed budget allocations;

                        All of the above in consultation with the Board Member for Young People, Education and Community Development and a cross party Youth Ambition reference group.