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Scare story
• AS is often the case with scare stories printed in the local media, the actual facts paint a very different picture (Youth work loses out, Letters April 10).
The so-called “secretive” commissioning process for youth service provision as described by the Labour candidate in Highgate in fact involves a final recommendation panel which includes parties external to the service who take a view on the applications.
Before this panel meets an invitation is sent out to all voluntary sector providers, via Voluntary Action Camden, about a series of workshops on the application process.
Highgate Newtown did not attend the workshops set up to explain the bidding process.
Their eventual application was turned down as it did not meet the criteria set, which they would have understood better had they engaged in the process earlier.
No application was received for a separate source of funding – Positive Activities for Young People – so they were directly approached to see if they wanted to bid. They declined.
Universal youth services will be continued in the area for 2008-09 through a partnership between Highgate Newtown and Camden Youth & Connexions Service. Total value of this partnership is £113,471 for the last completed year. The spending is rising to £120,000 for the financial year just started. Cuts in youth services? No, the facts say differently.
Cllr JOHN BRYANT
Executive Member for Children
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