I am writing with a Freedom of Information request with regards to expenditure on children and young people’s services.

1. What are the counts for the below items during the 2023/24 financial year?
• Overall number of council-ran youth centres in local authority: None
• Overall number of youth centres in local authority run by other organisations: None
• Overall number of directly employed youth workers and youth support workers (Head count): 9
• Overall number of directly employed youth workers and youth support workers (FTE): 0.77 (calculated as the sum of all the 9 workers Actual FTE combined).
*please note that the information provided in response to 1C and 1D relate to youth workers employed for our D of E and Explorer Groups only.

2. As part of the Section 251 Outturn submitted to Department for Education for the 2023/24 financial year, which budget line did your local authority include expenditure on Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme?
Line 3.5.1 Universal services for young people

3. How much did your local authority spend on the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme in the 2023/24 financial year?
£305,744

4. Did your local authority receive any of the Youth Investment Fund from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport in the 2023/24 financial year? No
If Yes,
a) How much money was received?
b) What project(s) was YIF used for in your local authority?
c) Was this a new-build or refurbishment/renovation of existing space?
d) What was the split of funding between capital (e.g., building, renovations) and revenue (service delivery)?
e) Was this funding included as part of your Section 251 Outturn statement to DfE? If so, which budget line was this attributed to, and in which financial year?

In the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Statutory guidance for local authorities on services to improve young people’s wellbeing (published 27 September 2023), it states that “Local authorities must determine what activities and associated facilities should be available to young people in their area”, and “should start by establishing what the needs of the young people in their area are, both in terms of activities and facilities, through a needs assessment.”

5. Has your local authority conducted a needs based assessment in the last three years? Yes
If Yes,
a) When was this conducted? Currently underway
b) How was this achieved? Analysis of data, survey to young people in the Borough, Focus Groups, liaison with current providers
If No,
c) Does your local authority plan to conduct a needs-based assessment on youth provision within the next four years? If so, when will this be?

Under Section 507B of the Education Act 1996, “local authorities must consult, and take into account the views of young people in their area on: current provision; the need for additional activities and facilities; access to those activities and facilities”

6. Has your local authority consulted young people on youth provision in the last four years? Yes
If Yes,
a) When was this conducted? Sept – Nov 2024
b) How was this achieved? Survey, focus groups, Youth Council, Children in Care Council
If No,
c) Does your local authority plan to consult with young people on youth provision within the next four years? If so, when will this be? Yes, hope to consult again in 12 months