Northumberland Labour says council leaders are failing young people.

This comes after Prudhoe North councillor Angie Scott asked for an additional youth worker to meet increasing demand for children and young people’s services.

Councillor Scott said: “At one youth club session 54 children turned up and reports of risk-taking and inappropriate behaviour are on the rise.

“We need more youth worker time to deal with the rising demand”. Instead council leaders withdrew provision saying there was no need for it as the existing voluntary sector provision was adequate.

“Our children and young people are being profoundly affected by the impact of the pandemic; we need more resource, not less.”

Leader Scott Dickinson added: “What we’ve seen from the council is failure to recognise the affects of the pandemic on children and young people. What’s needed is more help and support. We will be holding the council to account on this; they’re letting our children and young people down. What’s happening is clearly not good enough and needs to be challenged.”