Youth Services should be run Locally say the Lib Dems

3.32.42pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Jun 2004

The Liberal Democrat group have called on Surrey County Council's Conservative administration to allow Local Committees to run their own local Youth Services. The Lib Dems are also demanding an explanation about the budget for the Youth Service this year.

The Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Community Services, Councillor Marie King-Hele said: "Decisions taken centrally cannot provide solutions that will solve the different problems the Youth Service faces in areas as different as Epsom and Farnham. Local Committees, which are composed of local councillors, are better placed to understand local needs and provide the right solutions. Besides, having local members scrutinising the budget would result in more accountability to local residents. It is hypocritical for the Tories to be preaching about giving power back to people if they refuse to allow decisions affecting local services to be taken locally."

She added: "I am also very concerned about what appears to be a cut in the budget for the Youth Service this year. I am challenging the Conservative administration on the County Council to explain the figures."