PLANS to run the county’s youth services with volunteers have been temporarily given the green light.

Essex County Council plans to stop running the services and to train more volunteers to carry out the work instead.

It is in a bid to save £2.6million by 2017.

Yesterday, the Children and Young People scrutiny committee agreed to allow Ray Gooding, Essex County Council cabinet member for children and young people, to pursue the changes for a probationary six months.

Graham Butland, committee chair, said: “I stretched the constitution somewhat as I believed, after hearing from both sides, it was not clear Mr Gooding’s aspirations would come true any more than the fears of the people who spoke against the plans.

“In the end, I said in six months time, Ray Gooding must come back to the committee and we will see how things are going and see whether the fears have been recognised of the aspirations achieved.”

The 14-member committee agreed the proposal, with one member opposing it and one member abstaining.

FOR THE FULL STORY SEE TOMORROW'S PRINT EDITION.