23/10/2011 The Politics Show North East and Cumbria

Here. The north's youngsters hit by the cuts. This youth club in

Middlesbrough is facing closure. Can the Government's new citizen

service fill the gap? And Catholic schools in the North

East become the latest to opt out of council control to become

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1789 seconds

academies. Those stories in half an Youth organisations and trade

unions will lobby Parliament about the problem on Tuesday. Our

reporter Luke Walton has been to one youth club in Middlesbrough

that's about to fall victim to the cuts.

North Ormesby youth club, lots of young people, lots of activity, but

because of council cuts, this centre and others like it face the

possibility of closure. They won't go without a fight. They have

dances. We have football. We have boxing. My grandchildren used to

come here. Now they are grown-up and married and their children are

coming. Please do not close it down. That sense of out rage is shared by

the club's users. We come here every day, without it, what else

would we do? Instead of sitting at home and doing nothing, it is a

place to come and join in. It is really important. If it closes down,

we will be out on the street causing trouble. Middlesbrough

council says the only reason that they might have to close the centre

is because of government funding cuts. This town has to fill a big

hole in next year's budget. But our young people taking more than their

fair share of the pain? New research from the Unite Union

compared spending last year and But are there other ways of

crafting a better future for our children without relying on public

money? This youth club relies mostly on charitable and private

donations. Could it be a model for others? Everyone has come forward,

they have donated what they can. Money or even that trips out and

things like that. If that we can do it, I cannot see why other youth

clubs don't go down the same path as we have done. The government

also wants youth activities to be funded and delivered in different

ways. This is one of its big ideas, and national -- this matter -- the

national citizen service for 16- year-olds. It has built my

confidence up. You go to meet people and the public. But critics

say this means there is less cash for traditional youth work. Money

that is going to this will be diverted away from projects that

are working well. The citizen service was a good value for money.

But I think it should not be the only provision for young people.

North Ormesby, a campaign to save the youth club is under way.

Spending cuts may affect all age groups, but young people still feel

they are being unfairly targeted. Well, let's talk about all that now

to two Teesside MPs. Ian Swales is the Liberal Democrat MP for Redcar

and in our Middlesbrough studio is Alex Cunningham, the Labour MP for

Stockton North. Ian Swales, this is short-sighted.

You might say that from the start, but another youth club is making

his own future. I see lots of organisations dealing with young

people who are nothing to do with the council, charities, Scouts,

Guides, sports clubs. There is plenty of choice for young people

which does not depend on council services. Is that the solution for

everybody? There does not always seem to be people replacing the

services. Middlesbrough spend a lot more on young people than other

councils and you have got to ask whether that is the right thing.

There are other options. Quite a lot of Teesside companies are now

helping. For those organisations who adopt a positive and optimistic

outlook, then they can carve a new future. Year constituency has a

youth club funded by the Lottery, is that the future? The state has a

responsibility to look after their young people. We have 12 youth

centres, and many of them are closing down. This is just the

start of the cuts. Young people should not have to bear the brunt

of these cuts. The educational maintenance allowance and things

like that. Young people will become disconnected with society. But

Robert has a responsibility to deliver for dumb people. -- but

Government has a responsibility to deliver for young people. You have

to deliver hard cash to make things happen. It is no good saying that

charities will get out the money, some people are able to do that,

but if you think of the abide of cuts that taking place, they cannot

fill the gab. -- the amount of cuts. One positive things is to have

services and run by young people. If the money is not there, how can

they take part in services? mentioned the lottery. Some of the

best services in the area are funded by the Lottery. Councils are

making choices and it is up to them to decide how much to spend on

young people. You could do something about this. Instead of

spending money on the National Citizens' Service, it could have

gone to the council. That could probably have reached more people.

I don't row about the relative amounts of money, but nobody is

ring fencing money for councils. That is a nonsense. Local

authorities across the north are facing cuts of 20 or 25%. It is a

case of deciding how to manage that. One of the things that I feel is

that councils have to look at what the real outcomes are for youth

services. Some of her youth service people never meet young people,

there is so much bureaucracy to deal with. I want to see all the

money on the front line dealing with the young people. That is a

good point. The national citizen service could provide a life-

changing help to young people. the Stockton Borough, we have run

cafes, games and lots of activities to do with lifestyle choices. It is

not just as simple as you are saying. I cannot believe that six

weeks on a course will prepare somebody for their long-term future.

Is it a -- is there a problem with perception of what the Government

is trying to do here? We have got a massive economic problem in this

country. Young people do not pay the price any more than others.

Unfortunately, there are changes having to be made in so many parts

of our public service provision because we cannot keep on spending

money that we have not got. At the moment, �1 in every four is being

borrowed of the cannot go on like that. We have to look a different

ways of doing this? It is true that we cannot keep spending money.

Labour's plan would of got rid of the deficit over a longer period of

time. Services for them people would have been protected. -- for

young people. That does mean so that the next generation would

upper inherited more debt. That is not the case. Eight years as

opposed to four years, we would not have had the situation we have now

with the economy is in the doldrums. What is a future for young people?

Now, six Roman Catholic schools across the North East are the

latest to opt out of local education authority control and

become academies. Many more expected to follow over the next

few months. But with a growing number of schools now running their

own affairs, can councils continue to provide effective services to

the rest? Sophie McDonnell reports from Bishop Auckland.

Children at St John's Catholic School in in Bishop Auckland. In a

few weeks, this council one school, along with five others, will become

an Academy. We made that decision because we have control of their

curriculum which is important to us. We also get flexibility over

financial resources. Pay and conditions will remain the same,

that is guaranteed. These students might not realise just how

significant this change will be. There are only 38 academies across

the North East, but can that figure rise? What the Catholic school will

do a big -- what the Catholic schools will do it will make a big

difference. Academies it set their own curriculum and budget and that

is a problem for some councils left to run fewer schools with less

money. By working in partnership with the local authority, schools

have been able to work to provide new buildings. It will be difficult

for schools to do that kind of project by themselves in the future.

If it does become academies and take their services away from the

local authority, we will be looking at job losses, particularly in

People who support children with special educational needs or who

work in welfare. These schools are likely to be the first of many.

Dozens of schools are watching to see what happens and could follow

suit if it is right for them. sure these conversations are going

on at different levels and with different police of intensity. We

would expect all schools to be talking about it. We would be

expecting governing to discussing - - we would be expecting governing

bodies to be discussing it. rate of conversion is speeding up

and that has got the unions are worried. It is disappointing we're

schools, which are the heart of the local community, seem to think it

is right to take themselves out of the local community. I believe that

there are schools watching who feel they cannot stand back and allow

them to take on academy status and will form a view that they are

being left behind. So goal is likely to become an Academy in the

next half-term, but how many will follow? -- St John's Catholic

School is likely to become an Academy. Are you delighted to see

them stay in council control? Stockton, we have a fantastic

family of schools. We do have an Academy as well. But we must

remember that the Labour Government started setting up academies in

areas where there was needed to drive up standards. Now it is a

free for all. It is not supposed to be about who is sitting round the

Government table. A free for all? That is a bit rich. If academies

are a good idea, they are a good idea for all. But at the moment, it

is dividing communities. If they are such a good idea, why should

not every school become an Academy? The many schools are already

foundation schools. They are independent of local council

control. They decide how to spend money from the local council. It is

not council verses Academy. There has already been fragmentation of

the process. You can see why it schools are becoming academies.

I can understand it. I have no doubt that other schools will

follow. The important thing is that schools continue to work as a

family in a geographical area. That is the most important thing,

children. But it is also about buildings. Resources are being

moved from the north of England to the south of England. One school in

the red car area is desperate to have a rebuild and it has been

moved... Where is the evidence for that? The number of free schools

opening in the south of England are vastly greater in the north.

that is up to schools in the north to do something about it? People in

the north seem to be largely content with what they already have

and we have some very high- performing schools in the region.

We just have to look at ways in which we can drive up standards for

everyone. Is the danger that schools in the north will miss out?

People have freedom now and one of the things that I was seeing on

there this morning to a head master is that they have to look at the

services they get from the Council I decide what is good value or not.

This is one of the real issues. They affect on councils. They will

have to justify the services they provide because there will be more

of and there goes the issue with schools. I think that is where

quite a lot of the pressure is coming from. But services will

disappear. Some schools will buy one services, some schools will buy

another and they will fragment. They will then have to go to the

open market to buy services and that will cost a lot more. Schools

and we'll work together. The secondary schools in my area

already work together. They are joined together under a trust. They

recognise that working together is sensible and I think that most

schools are well. The primary schools are that I was visiting

this morning work in a team of about eight schools. People adopt

at the right approach for their area. I don't understand what

Labour's different approach is to this. You were in favour of

academies when you were in government. What is the policy?

believe in schools or academies or what ever you want to call them

that the drive up standards. What I am bothered about is what they are

delivering. I am not convinced about we will see great strides and

you changes. It is about the quality of teaching. Yes, you get

good schools and bad schools all over the country. Driving up

standards is extremely important. I think the way that schools are

governed and inspected will not change that much. We have to keep a

sensible curriculum. We have to ensure that academies and three

schools are do not depart to farm from the curriculum.

And finally, a bit of a first for the programme this, some baby news.

Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson has given birth

to a baby girl. She revealed the news on Twitter this week.

Congratulations to her from all of us here on the show. And on that

happy note, that's about it from us. From tomorrow on BBC local radio

and Look North, we'll be looking at the Government's changes to the

benefits system and what it means for people in Cumbria and the North

East. In the meantime, you can seek me out on Twitter. Look for