Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Deputy Town Clerk.

The Committee received the report of the Deputy Town Clerk which provided an update on Youth Services being funded by the Town Council.

Members welcomed the details in the report that provided confirmation of the budgets proposed for the 2026/27 fiscal year. Members agreed that amounts budgeted provided exceptional value for money for the services provided by the recipients and it was agreed that this amount be ringfenced ahead of budget consideration.

The Committee did however note that information received from APCAM was limited and did not include specific details regarding the numbers of families they had supported in Witney. It was agreed that the decision on the inclusion of a provision of funding be deferred to the meeting of the Policy, Governance & Finance Committee to allow Officers to request further details from APCAM.

The report also ignited a discussion between Members regarding the lack of Youth Club facilities; the Deputy Town Clerk reminded the Committee that the funding for The Station was provided on the basis of it being a detached service and therefore it was not simply a case of finding a home for their offering. It was unanimously agreed that an agenda item be added to a future meeting of the committee to discuss this further.

Recommended:

1.      That, the report be noted and,

2.      That, the amount of £28,500 and £12,000 be ringfenced in the 2026/27 budget for grant funding to The Station and Home-start Oxford respectively and,

3.      That, the Youth Development Officer at WODC be invited to a future meeting and,

4.      That, an agenda item be added to a future meeting of the Committee to discuss Youth Club provision and,

5.      That, the decision to include grant funding provision for APCAM be deferred to the meeting of the Policy, Governance & Finance Committee on 24November 2025.