Following over two years of consultation with staff and partners, approval from the Cabinet Office and full council, Torbay Youth Trust is now in a position to take over the delivery of youth services from Torbay Council.

The Youth Trust, and its newly formed Interim Board of Trustees, will be taking on the running of the Parkfield Centre along with the current delivery of activities and services for the young people of Torbay. Staff from the council’s Youth Services and Young Carers teams will be transferring to the new Trust at the same time.

The new Interim Chair of the Youth Trust Board of Trustees, Sheena Leaf, and the Board members have already agreed that the Trust will have a strong focus on enterprise, training and skills. They will also be looking at how they can increase the amount of income the centre generates, which will help to reduce the cost pressure for the council over the next few years.

Councillor Julien Parrott, Executive Lead for Adults and Children, said: “After going through the lengthy process of setting up a trust I am glad to hear that everyone is now in a position for us to hand over the delivery of our youth services to this new innovative Youth Trust. The new trust means that we can continue to deliver activities and services that our young people value as well as meeting our statutory responsibilities all despite ongoing financial pressures.

“The new Board is made up of well thought of business people who will be able to use their knowledge as a group to drive Parkfield and the Youth Trust forward in a sustainable way."

Alongside Sheena, who has previously worked for the Dartington Hall Trust, the Trustees include Pete Blackler, eBusiness Director at Insignia Creative; Vince Flower, Managing Director of Shearings Hotels; Alison Kenny, Head of Neighbourhood Partnerships at Sanctuary Housing; David Ward, Professor of Social and Community Studies at De Montfort University and Torbay Council Councillor Alan Tyerman.

A new Enterprise and Operations Manager will also be employed to manage existing contracts and develop additional funding streams by working in partnership with the youth sector in Torbay.