BUSINESS leaders have warned youth services cuts could damage Brighton and Hove’s reputation as a “a business destination of choice”.

An open letter to council leader Warren Morgan warns the £800,000 cuts could damage the city’s long-term economic growth and prosperity.

Business figures said the cuts could hit recruitment and investment, increasing social issues, long-term unemployment and crime, and making the city less attractive to investors.

Youth group leaders said the cuts would remove opportunities for young people to develop employment skills, reducing the city’s young talent pool.

Instead of making the cuts, business leaders suggested the council allocated a percentage of the business rates towards youth projects.

Nikki Gatenby, Propellernet managing director, said: “We rely on talent to grow our businesses but we also want to see our city attractive to investors and potential clients to do business with us into the future.

“Investing less in youth and community services today sets up significant future costs to our city that run into millions of pounds.”

Ben Glazebrook, of Impact initiatives, said: “You don’t have to go to into the workforce to learn employment skills. Youth services help develop confidence and self-esteem and give people increased responsibility.

“I don’t know where else they would be developing these skills if not in youth services.”

Adam Muirhead, of The Trust for Developing Communities, said: “The business sector is getting involved with the campaign because it feels without youth services this city will become a less attractive place for businesses to come and start up.”

Cllr Morgan said “much-valued” youth services would not be cut if the funding the council received from the Government was not being reduced so drastically.

He said services for young people with additional needs would remain and there were no planned reductions to the council’s youth employability service.