Words by Erdington Local Editorial Team
Birmingham City Council (BCC) have told devastated youth workers they are axing all part time staff and potentially putting all youth centres up for sale, in a ploy to save over £100m by 2026.
Following a meeting on 26 September, BCC Youth Service staff were left dumbfounded after Director of Children’s Services, Dr Sue Harrison, outlined the plans in a presentation to city workers which would see 44 jobs lost – including 37 youth support workers.
Youth Service staff have been waiting since April for the results of a review of the three services which deal with young people across Birmingham: careers, 14-19, and the youth service.
At the meeting last week, it was announced all three services will be merged into one service and the remaining staff were told they would not be working out of geographic centres which many fear could break the link between youngsters and their youth workers.
Staff were further told every youth centre in the city would be subject to “expression of interest” meaning third parties who want to buy them will be notified.
The recent Youth Service cuts come days after the new Labour government promised to invest in youth work, as the city remains in the grip of a teenage knife crime crisis.
But Birmingham’s Youth Service has long suffered cuts, with centres across the city shut down or stripped back. Erdington saw the cherished Malcom Locker Youth Centre close in 2014 after a previous round of council cuts and despite a locally led campaign to save it, with the neighbouring Clifton Road Youth Centre near Sutton Park only open three evenings a week.
Most recently, Foundations 4 the Future CIC – which engages young people through sport and “bespoke” programmes – was forced to give up it’s youth centre at Central Square after owners of the site decided to demolish the building following two failed bids by Birmingham City Council for regeneration funding.
Following the meeting on 26 September, and the news of job losses and asset sales, a Save Birmingham Youth Service (SBYS) spokesman told: “It has been announced that new proposals for the Youth Service will see the loss of 44 jobs. 37 of these will be youth support workers that are vital in running youth clubs and activities across our city.
“The loss of these roles will have an unprecedented effect on the services that Birmingham Youth Service can offer the young people of our amazing city. Further roles will be lost in essential admin and business roles within the new proposals.”
Youth workers flag up children in danger of sexual exploitation, county lines criminality, and many other types of abuse. With a record number of children in the city not attending school their role has become even more important.
Birmingham has long celebrated itself as being the youngest city in Europe, with a reported 40% of its population under 25.
Council Leader Cllr John Cotton recently recognised Birmingham “a young and dynamic city” when attending the development launch of a new Enterprise Hub in Erdington, whilst further paying tribute to the “tremendous assets that we have out in our community”.
In a statement for the press given on Friday 27 September, Dr Sue Harrison said: “Consultation has commenced on a redesign of the council’s Youth Service aimed at creating a service model that is sustainable and provides a consistent approach to youth services across the city that is more aligned with other services working with young people.
“We appreciate that any meeting where staff reductions are proposed can be difficult for staff and we have signposted support from managers as well as the council’s Employee Assistance Programme, for those who wish to take it up.”
She added “Every member of staff will be invited to a one-to-one discussion as part of the consultation process.”
Birmingham City Council is cutting services due to its ongoing financial crisis, after equal pay liabilities and a defunct IT system cost the city hundreds of millions.
After borrowing £1.25bn from central government following to balance its books the council needs to save over £300m over the next two financial years by cutting services, selling off assets, and hiking up the price of Council Tax.
The Children and Families Directorate has been given a savings target of £52.2m for 2024/25 and £63.2m for 2025/26 financial year.
For more on the Save Birmingham Youth Service campaign visit www.facebook.com/savebhamyouthservice