Conservative Councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council are fighting to protect Youth Led Grants from Labour cuts.

Labour’s budget plans include proposals to cut the £80,000 Youth Led Grants Programme which provides youth activities and projects which are delivered by the community and voluntary sector across the city.

The proposal is part of a Conservative budget amendment planned to be funded by removing the planned investment of £200,000 in a pilot project of school counselling for year 9 pupils. The remaining £120,000 would go towards keeping public toilets open for longer.

The Conservative Government is rolling out Mental Health Support Teams across schools and colleges with 44% expected to be covered by April 2024 and at least 50% by spring 2025, as well as offering all state schools and colleges funding to train a senior mental health lead by 2025. The Conservative Group therefore believes that counselling for a small group of pupils in a select number of schools is unnecessary.

Leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr Alistair McNair, said “The Youth Led Grants Programme does so much for young people across our city, including increasing volunteering and work experience opportunities, improving health and wellbeing, and offering participation in new and challenging experiences.

“The benefits provided by these community organisations will help to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing. The proposed pilot of counselling for year 9 pupils in a handful of schools will remove the opportunities open to all young people and replace them with counselling for a few of them. When the Conservative Government is rolling out Mental Health Support Teams and funding for mental health leads, it seems an unnecessary thing to do.”