REDDITCH needs far more funding for youth workers says a town and county councillor.

But Batchley councillor Betty Passingham was delighted to hear the county had boosted youth spending by £600,000 recently.

She had been lobbying hard for a budget increase for youth services to try to get more youth workers out on the streets.

Mrs Passingham said: "We only spent £56 for each young person in the county in the youth services budget which impacts on Redditch because we have such a young population.

"We need more detached youth workers out there trying to make contact with these kids on the street and give them some hope.

"We've only got four at the moment, which isn't enough. We need to keep kids out of trouble."