Youth services and adult social care services top of MP’s list of worries at NCC

Chloe Smith has urged Norfolk County Council not to cut transport in adult social services and to restore funding for Youth Advisory Boards' positive interventions which aim to prevent young people becoming NEET or going into care. 

 

Ms Smith wrote to Dr Thomson, Managing Director of Norfolk County Council, to outline her concerns earlier this month, during the budget consultation. She has said a change of heart would be good not just for her constituents but for Norfolk as a whole.  

 

Chloe comments:

 

“I support the need to make savings overall, because the country asked the government to do that at the General Election, and local government is part of the same effort. However, I have urged the County Council to be as smart and fair as possible in the savings they select. I hope County Councillors will be able to protect these services."

 

Referring to the adult social care transport proposal, she added:

"In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced a new Adult Social Care Precept and I sincerely hope the Council will make use of this."

 

Chloe also said:

“During the budget consultation I wrote to the County Council’s Managing Director to make her aware of my concerns about these proposals in particular.  I have also asked the county council leadership to meet MPs as soon as possible although it has not been practically possible to do so yet.

 

"I hope these services can be protected for the benefit of young people, adult service users, carers and the wider public who might have need to call upon the council in the future. My constituents came to me with worries about these proposals in particular and my action now is to represent their concerns to the council."

 

Chloe's letter to NCC about youth services highlights her concern that the council needs strategic leadership and direction to better serve young people. This follows her recent meeting with  Children's Services and their new Commissioner Dave Hill, where Chloe pointed to the need to prioritise early intervention with young people at risk of going into care or becoming NEET. Chloe has led the successful local employment project Norwich for Jobs and also chairs cross-party groups for Youth Employment and Youth Affairs in Parliament. 

Commenting on Ms Smith’s intervention Cliff Jordan, Leader of the Conservative Group, said:

 

“Protecting these budgets and saving these services is exactly what the Conservative Group is about.  By looking for opportunities to generate income, make efficiencies and cut out waste we hope to able to restore the front line”.