Are the police best choice for youth work cash asks councillor?

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne has secured £890,616 from the government’s Early Intervention Youth Fund to work with young people and attempt to steer them away from a life of crime.

The money is also intended to help create what are described as ‘positive youth projects’ in local communities.

However Councillor Godfrey Daniel, one of Hastings’ representatives on East Sussex County Council has questioned whether the police are the best recipients of the cash.

Speaking at ESCC’s full council meeting yesterday Mr Daniel said he was ‘slightly anxious’. A former youth worker, he told councillors: “I don’t think the police are the best people to do youth work, they do good crime fighting, I’d like to see the money under our control with an education base.”

He also questioned whether it was right that all the money was all earmarked for working with ‘likely’ offenders, “We have to grab people before they become likely offenders,” he told the meeting. Mr Daniel said he’d like to see, “…general money for general youth work for ordinary kids in our community.”

Earlier this year, in response to increasing serious crime, the government published its Serious Violence Strategy, announcing potential funding for projects which would encourage young people to make positive choices instead of getting involved in crime.

Sussex PCC Ms Bourne, working with Hastings MP Amber Rudd, made a bid for part of the funding and secured £890.616.

Amber and Katy
Amber Rudd and Katy Bourne who worked together to secure Early Intervention Youth Fund cash for Sussex.

Ms Rudd said: “This funding will give Sussex Police opportunities to reduce anti-social behaviour while at the same time helping to turn around young lives, which may otherwise have been blighted by negative consequences. For Hastings, it will mean we can expect additional support which is very welcome, particularly as I have been hosting regular public anti-social behaviour meetings in Hastings since 2014.”

Mrs Bourne says she is delighted to have been successful in her bid: “From speaking to local residents, I know that anti-social behaviour has become a disruptive issue for our local communities. However, the first answer is not to criminalise our young people, we must instead bolster our resources to assess their needs and stage a positive early intervention. We do not wish to commit them to a life of crime before first understanding their circumstances.”

The extra funding will help the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector as well as schools, health, statutory partners and the police get involved with under 18s at risk of committing serious violence and those who have already come to the attention of the police.

Ms Bourne says she will shortly announce the specifics of how the funding will be used.

One thought on “Are the police best choice for youth work cash asks councillor?

  1. Godfrey Daniel was a Youth Worker? and then also is Andy Batsford?

    No wonder we are screwed.

    Yes give it to police I also know of young guys who want to address the environment and social culture on estates that youngsters cannot get away from.

    Not give it to these idiots.

    Its like their Labour candidate opposite Katey Bourne. was a lawyer, except he had never been in court, never represented anyone, never been in a police cell or taken a case through court. He had never done any of these. Instead he informed me he had specialised in pension law.

    and did not think it matter he had no experience of crime, criminal, police, offender or the courts system.

    And Katy Bourne taught dance classes to children.

    No chance then.

    From someone who has as a professional worked with police, attended custody cells, worked in forensic and gone through court myself dealing with my own cases

    Law and police and courts and process is a maze in itself. You have to know it, or you will be insulting everyone.

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