To debate a Motion submitted by the Administration in accordance with Rules 11 and 13 of the Council’s Constitution. The debate will last for a maximum of 30 minutes.

 

YOUNG TOWER HAMLETS

 

Council considered a motion as printed in the agenda on the Young Tower Hamlets initiative that had been moved by Councillor Maium Miah Talukdar and seconded by Councillor Bodrul Choudhury.

 

Council also considered the amendment proposed by Councillor Sabina Akhtar and seconded by Councillor Mohammad Chowdhury as set out in the supplementary agenda.

 

Addition in Bold

Deletions struckthrough

 

This Council notes:

 

·       That Mayor Lutfur Rahman, in his previous term as Mayor, oversaw a huge investment of resources into the borough’s youth services – taking young people off the street, giving them educational, cultural, recreational, wellbeing and employment opportunities, and preparing them for adult life.

 

·       The chronic cuts to, neglect and underfunding of, Tower Hamlets’ youth services during the terms of the previous administration, which resulted in the closure of 70% of all youth centres and attendant services in the borough. And Insert:

 

·       The previous administration built wealth, knowledge and skills in the community by partnering with the voluntary and community sector to deliver youth services. As they have a track record of delivering high quality youth provision.

 

·       Insert: That this council’s own studies demonstrated that when communities are empowered, they provide efficient, effective and economical youth services.

 

·      

That various studies – (set out below) – outline the correlation between access (or lack thereof) to youth services for young people and increased levels of crime and ASB, as well as low educational attainment and decreased job opportunities.

 

·       That this latter point is particularly true in the youngest and most densely-populated borough in the country, where green space is scarce for many communities.

 

·       That children from lower income households often have worse educational outcomes. A 2021 report found that those children from poorer households and without access to a decent education and extra-curricular activities end up with significant gaps in academic achievement – especially those from BAME backgrounds.

 

·       That young people in Tower Hamlets have suffered because of the previous administration’s cuts. Insert: Under the previous administration Tower Hamlets had one of the best funded youth services in London and managed to secure more than £1m of funding from the GLA’s MyEnds programme to combat youth violence on the Isle of Dogs.

 

 

This Council believes:

 

·       That the young people of Tower Hamlets deserve the best opportunities to excel, both inside and outside of the classroom.

 

·       That every ward in Tower Hamlets should have a dedicated youth centre, where children and young people can access services to help them develop skills, as well as their interests and aspirations.

 

·       That a serious (re-)investment in capital, personnel, and infrastructure is required to deliver these ambitions.

 

·       And Insert: Modern youth services are most effective when they are delivered through strategically located centres equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to engage and support young people.

 

·       That you work is essential and under recognised profession. Professionally trained youth worker are experts in their filed and know what’s best when it comes to delivering youth services.

 

·       That the launch of the Mayor’s Young Tower Hamlets (YTH) scheme earlier this week (Monday 17^th July) – in which a £13.7million per annum investment in the borough’s redesigned youth service and a guaranteed youth centre in every ward were showcased – represents a drastic change in the Council’s approach, and a firm commitment to the future of the borough’s young people.

 

·       That this investment will provide jobs, intern and apprenticeship opportunities for young people across the borough.

 

·       That this investment will also help tackle inequalities faced by disabled and SEN young people in the borough; it will also provide women and girls with increased safe access to sporting, educational, and cultural services previously cut.

 

·       That the work of the Deputy Mayor and Council Officers should be particularly recognised in helping to deliver this key Mayoral priority.

 

·       That this scheme represents the insourcing of another key service in the borough, enhancing democratic accountability and control, and symbolising a key step in accelerating education and attainment in Tower Hamlets.

 

·       That an overcentralised youth service is an inefficient way of delivering youth services and has previously led to poor governance and malpractice occurring in the borough.

 

 

This Council resolves:

 

·       To approve and endorse the Mayor and Council’s newly launched service, Young Tower Hamlets, and recognise the huge benefits it will have on the borough’s young people and families.

 

·       To commend Officers and the Lead Member for their work in delivering this project.

 

·       To support officers in the delivery of this key service moving forward.

·       That every youth worker employed by the borough undergoes a full DBS check before being employed by the borough.

 

·       To only recruit professional youth workers to staff our service.

 

·       To request that the lead member explore the creation of a youth worker training fund to be delivered by our partners in the FE/HE sector.

 

Following debate, the amendment moved by Councillor Sabina Akhtar was put to the vote and was defeated.

 

The motion as moved by Councillor Maium Miah Talukdar was put to the vote and was agreed.

 

RESOLVED

 

This Council notes:

 

·       That Mayor Lutfur Rahman, in his previous term as Mayor, oversaw a huge investment of resources into the borough’s youth services – taking young people off the street, giving them educational, cultural, recreational, wellbeing and employment opportunities, and preparing them for adult life.

 

·       The chronic cuts to, neglect and underfunding of, Tower Hamlets’ youth services during the terms of the previous administration, which resulted in the closure of 70% of all youth centres and attendant services in the borough.

 

·      

That various studies – (set out below) – outline the correlation between access (or lack thereof) to youth services for young people and increased levels of crime and ASB, as well as low educational attainment and decreased job opportunities.

 

·       That this latter point is particularly true in the youngest and most densely-populated borough in the country, where green space is scarce for many communities.

 

·       That children from lower income households often have worse educational outcomes. A 2021 report found that those children from poorer households and without access to a decent education and extra-curricular activities end up with significant gaps in academic achievement – especially those from BAME backgrounds.

 

·       That young people in Tower Hamlets have suffered because of the previous administration’s cuts.

 

This Council believes:

 

·       That the young people of Tower Hamlets deserve the best opportunities to excel, both inside and outside of the classroom.

 

·       That every ward in Tower Hamlets should have a dedicated youth centre, where children and young people can access services to help them develop skills, as well as their interests and aspirations.

 

·       That a serious (re-)investment in capital, personnel, and infrastructure is required to deliver these ambitions.

 

·       That the launch of the Mayor’s Young Tower Hamlets (YTH) scheme earlier this week (Monday 17^th July) – in which a £13.7million per annum investment in the borough’s redesigned youth service and a guaranteed youth centre in every ward were showcased – represents a drastic change in the Council’s approach, and a firm commitment to the future of the borough’s young people.

 

·       That this investment will provide jobs, intern and apprenticeship opportunities for young people across the borough.

 

·       That this investment will also help tackle inequalities faced by disabled and SEN young people in the borough; it will also provide women and girls with increased safe access to sporting, educational, and cultural services previously cut.

 

·       That the work of the Deputy Mayor and Council Officers should be particularly recognised in helping to deliver this key Mayoral priority.

 

·       That this scheme represents the insourcing of another key service in the borough, enhancing democratic accountability and control, and symbolising a key step in accelerating education and attainment in Tower Hamlets.

 

This Council resolves:

 

·       To approve and endorse the Mayor and Council’s newly launched service, Young Tower Hamlets, and recognise the huge benefits it will have on the borough’s young people and families.

 

·       To commend Officers and the Lead Member for their work in delivering this project.

 

·       To support officers in the delivery of this key service moving forward.