Warwickshire County Council may cut youth services

Youth services in Warwickshire could be wound up as part of spending cuts by the county council.

On Tuesday it said it may lose almost a quarter of its staff - 1,800 jobs - over three years.

Unions said they have been told the council is looking at stopping the entire youth service in the county.

The council said it is reviewing a lot of services and it wants to build on services delivered in collaboration with others.

'Challenges'

Councillor Heather Timms, from the Children, Young People and Families department, said: "With the challenges we face, we will have to review all current provision but young people will remain at the heart of our decision-making.

"In Warwickshire, services for young people have evolved to offer wide-ranging programmes, often delivered in collaboration with partner agencies in all sectors.

"We will be looking to continue to build on these relationships and explore innovative partnership arrangements in the future."

Mick Haynes from Unison said overall, the cuts will affect young people and the elderly.

In 2009/2010 the council's total expenditure was £784.4m.

Before the Spending Review was announced the council predicted its expenditure for 2010/2011 would be £825.2m.