Dave McNichol is head of Warrington Youth Zone and writes a regular column for Warrington Guardian

I AM writing this column after watching the BBC Breakfast article on the impact of the cuts to funding for youth and community work and the ongoing cuts over the past 15 years that have been made to youth centres and services for young people.

Whilst it is widely recognised that government funding to local authorities has needed to reduce year on year, leading to local authorities having to make incredibly difficult decisions in terms of how to fund essential services and support the needs of residents in their towns and cities.

Warrington has placed the needs of children and young people at the heart of their decision making with the maintenance of high-quality specialist services for children and young people through the youth service. They have also been a key support of Warrington Youth Zone providing over half of the funding for the capital costs of the building alongside giving the land for the Youth Zone. A true commitment to supporting future generations of Warringtonians.

However, it is the reality that funding for the delivery of services to children and young people is becoming tighter and the competition for funding is increasing. For many years charities and organisations providing services to children and young people have worked independently of each other, focusing on funding their own work. However, over the past year Warrington Youth Partnership has been developed.

This is a consortium of organisations across the statutory sector, voluntary sector, private sector and includes partners in health and education. Initiated by Warrington Borough Councils Youth Service, the partnership is focusing on how we can think differently and work differently to support children and young people from across the borough.

The partnership is working with children and young people and looking to respond to the current climate to ensure that we can pull together to provide the very best opportunities, services, facilities and support for children and young people from across Warrington.

We believe that the partnership is the best way to pool resources and come together to provide an enhanced offer for our young people.

If you would like more information about Warrington Youth Partnership or would like to get involved, please contact us info@wyz.org.uk or call 997271.