Lib Dems worry about County Council's Youth Service

1.32.37pm GMT Fri 17th Feb 2006

At this weeks County Council meeting Cllr Susan Gaszczak expressed her concerns at the £270k investment in the Youth Service.

The Youth Service was inspected early last year and the council was criticised for using its current resources badly and recommended that this was a priority for the Tory run County Council. This resulted in a restructure of the service, creating many vacancies with staff being redeployed within the service. Before this weeks Council meeting there were 7 vacancies in the service.

Cllr Susan Gaszczak said after the council meeting 'It is not the investment that worries us; the investment was desperately needed as was found out when the service was inspected. Our worry is the investment is to be used for more staffing of the service. If the Council cannot fill the current vacancies, why are we investing more money in more vacancies? This is an important service that will allow the council to implement the Youth Matters agenda, and will give youngsters in Bedfordshire things to do.'

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Liberal Democrat Group voted against the budget