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Cllr Roy Perry, Chairman of the LGA's Children and Young People Board, responded to the National Citizen Service Bill announced in the Queen's Speech, which includes plans to dramatically expand the National Citizen Service

"The National Citizen Service Bill makes a clear statement about the value of youth services, and underlines the Government's commitment to boosting the engagement of young people in positive activities.

"The National Citizen Service is a good scheme that provides positive experiences for many children and young people. The Government is proposing to allocate £1.1 billion in funding for it over the course of this Parliament, and with many local services under pressure since 2010 following substantial cuts to local government funding, it is vital that money to run the NCS should not be at the expense of restoring and supporting local services for young people. Councils - who know their communities best - must be able to provide services tailored to local needs.

"If local authorities are to actively promote the NCS, it is essential that there is a reciprocal duty on providers to engage with local authorities, including a duty to share relevant data, to make sure that promotion is effectively targeted to meet local needs."

Notes to editors

The most recent information on the costs of the NCS are available at www.ncsyes.co.uk/sites/default/files/NCS%202014%20Evaluation.pdf