YOUNG people in Ryedale could soon have a direct influence on council policy and services to help them work, live, train and play.

A best value review of services provided for young people by Ryedale District Council found that the authority had made some excellent achievements, but access to youth services was confusing and complex.

The review, which began in October last year, found that although North Yorkshire County Council was the provider of youth services in the district, the district council needed to act as a pro-active co-ordinator.

"What is clear from this review is that there is a high regard for what the council has achieved in meeting the needs of young people in Ryedale and that there is a great deal of good practice to build on for the future," the review stated.

"The difficulty encountered by the review in identifying exactly who does what is a reflection on the complexity of services for younger people in Ryedale."

The proportion of young people in Ryedale is significantly lower compared with figures for the rest of the Yorkshire and Humber region because many leave for higher education.

Between the ages of 20 to 24 the proportion in Ryedale is only 3.6 per cent compared with 6.1 per cent in the region as a whole.

The review also found that of Ryedale's 3,740 businesses, the vast majority were small, offering a wide range of good jobs.

However, many would not invest in young people by training them.

Issues affecting young people in the district included access to facilities on public transport, lack of affordable housing, the need for a one-stop shop for information and services, and the lack local career opportunities and leisure facilities.

To improve this the review suggested that the council needed to improve co-ordination, provide better communication, increase the involvement of young people in council policy and provide a clearer young people's vision.

Updated: 09:50 Saturday, December 06, 2003