MP blasts council's proposed cuts to youth services

AN MP has blasted Croydon Council’s handling of proposed youth service cuts, calling the lack of public consultation an 'insult' to the young people and families who depend on them.

- By HARRISON GALLIVEN Local democracy reporter

Croydon East MP Natasha Irons said the council's approach shut out the very voices that should have been heard.

The Council's Youth Engagement Team (YET) provides support and education services to young people living, working, or attending schools in Croydon, as well as their families, who can access the services they need. The team acts as a bridge between the council, voluntary organisations and young people, offering trusted and localised support.

However, Croydon’s plans to reduce this provision have aroused the fears of many parents and young people who rely on the services across the borough. Matters have been made worse by accusations that Council officials have not properly engaged with the service users.

The YET supports young people across Croydon, including through a weekly youth hub in New Addington. Charlene, a parent from New Addington,

She raised concerns about how the council's consultation was carried out and whether it genuinely captured young people's views. She said, “Two middle-aged white ladies came to the youth club. They didn’t ask things in a way that gave [my son] the opportunity to express what he really felt.”