Zero hours jobs advert at £6m Wolverhampton Youth Zone

Bosses at the charity running the centre have now apologised and said the advert was put up 'in error'.

The Way Youth Zone, to be run by charity OnSide Youth Zones, was asking on the website of WM Jobs for three people to become General Assistants and advertised the roles as zero hours.

But spokesman Rebecca Baron said: "I can confirm that this advert has in fact been published in error. OnSide Youth Zones do not support zero hour contracts. This unfortunately was just an oversight and it will be taken down as soon as possible.

"We will be start advertising for our next round of full-time and part-time roles from June 29.

"Full details will be on the website in the next couple of weeks."

Wolverhampton City Council said it has nothing to do with recruitment for the 'youth zone' in School Street, which is handled by OnSide, although it has contributed to the building. And its service will replace many of its own youth clubs axed last year as part of £134 million of cuts and savings.

Barry Hodgson from UKIP, who used to work at Low Hill Youth Club in the 1970s, said: "I'm pleased that the Youth Zone has changed what it was doing about zero hours contracts.

"We need serious and involved people for youth work. It's not fair on people wanting a career to keep them on these contracts."

The only youth club to remain open in the city is Epic Youth Cafe in Lichfield Street. Around 30 others shut last year.

Labour-run Wolverhampton City Council has shut all but one of its own youth clubs with unions saying as many as 140 jobs, 76 full time equivalents, were lost.

The council intended to save £1.1 million by wielding the axe but hopes the £6m building The Way, backed by Wolves chairman Steve Morgan, will be Wolverhampton's main youth centre once it is finished.

The authority, which is funding the project's construction, came under fire in April after it employed 700 staff on zero hours arrangements last year. The Labour party nationally had taken a stand against their use.

The figure has since been cut to 414 with the council's leader stressing the authority would 'do away with virtually all' such contracts.

In May 2014 the city council had as many as 738 staff on zero hours contracts. That figure stood at 414 in April with bosses stressing they are 'not using them in an exploitative way'. It also offered formal contracts to those who were found to be doing regular work.

Council leader Roger Lawrence said at the time that many of the staff worked at the Civic Halls in areas such as behind the bar.

However, the council is going to recruit roles through its own recruitment agency Yoo Recruit, in Queen Square, and phase out zero hours. Councillor Lawrence said the authority was 'doing away with virtually all zero hours'.