Conservatives not doing enough in fight against Anti-social behavior

3.12.17pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 15th Jul 2004

Kent is near the bottom of the league table for spending on youth services

At the County Council meeting on Thursday, 15 July, Martin Vye, County Councillor for Canterbury South and Liberal Democrat Spokesman for Education, attacked the Conservative administration for starving the youth service of funds.

"Anti-social behaviour by some young people is one of the main worries of residents of Kent. Youth Workers are in the front line of the battle to draw young people at risk into constructive activities. Yet Kent is near the bottom of the league table for spending on youth services.

"And you can see the result in my own area. The youth service - the area managers, heads of youth centres, youth workers - are doing a brilliant job - but they have not got enough resources to meet the need. On Canterbury City Council we have seen the affects of the unmet need for youth workers. In three villages in my division of Canterbury South, Canterbury City Council have a youth bus up and running. However, we should not be doing the County's job for it."

Martin concluded, "Every County Councillor has been delegated £10,000 this year to spend on their own priorities. I have decided to put the larger part of my allocation into extra youth workers in Thanington."