Shepway Youth Centre - one of those affected under the plans

by political editor Paul Francis

Youngsters have hit out at county education chiefs for failing to get their views on proposed youth centre closures.

Kent county councillors were told the authority should have involved users of Kent’s youth service before presenting a proposal for services to be run by the private sector, charities and voluntary groups.

Twelve youth centres could be shut under the plan, which will save about £1m and see services based around 12 "hubs".

KCC has also been warned its plans are shortsighted as they could mean more money being spent on other services, such as tackling youth crime and anti-social behaviour.

is this a false economy?

unions say that where other councils had tried similar plans, the results had been “disastrous” with some ending up having to return to direct provision of youth services.

doug nicholls of unite also accused kcc of a false economy, ignoring research that showed that money spent on the youth service saved money elsewhere.

he told the meeting there was little evidence that the model led to better services.

“we would ask you to look carefully at what happened in bromley, where commissioning of services was seen as the solution but they ended up bringing them back.

"what evidence is there that this model works? where it has been tried, it has not worked - it was a disaster in tower hamlets.”

In other developments, it has emerged that nearly 200 staff could be at risk from the re-organisation, including many part-time and sessional staff.

And unions said that other authorities who had tried to outsource services had ended up abandoning the idea.

The plans for the service came under the spotlight at a meeting of KCC’s watchdog cabinet scrutiny committee this week.

Tamanna Miah, chair of the Kent Youth Parliament, told the meeting: "Cuts are being made so the opinions and voices of young people should’ve been taken into account right from the start.

"Cuts are being made without highlighting the potential longer term effects. There is a risk that the long-term gains of youth work are lost to short-term cuts."

Political editor Paul Francis speaks to Daniel Frost of The Maidstone Coalition of Resistance

Darra Farrell, also a member of the Youth Parliament, said: "Young people have not been involved anywhere up until now.

"There should be consultation rather than just being presented with a plan."

Daniel Frost, of the campaign group The Maidstone Coalition of Resistance, said he was concerned other providers would put profit above services.

"The overwhelming likelihood is that existing efficient and successful youth services will be replaced by those operated on a for-profit basis, with less provision, less efficiency and less success."

Cllr Mike Hill, cabinet member for communities, said KCC wanted a genuine consultation. "I am absolutely convinced that we will continue to have an excellent service."

The formal consultation gets under way on August 1 and runs until the end of October.

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