Aberdeen City Council has indicated it plans to pull funding for the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

The decision was made by members of the local authority’s education and children’s services committee yesterday in private session.

The decision was delayed from going public until festival personnel were informed.

Funding for the event for 2017/18 remains in place but councillors have agreed a willingness to pull supporting the event in their 2018/19 budget, which will be agreed in February.

Cllr Lesley Dunbar, vice-convener of the Aberdeen City Council Education and Children’s Services committee, said: “Members of the committee intimated they are not supportive of funding being allocated to the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in the Council’s 2018/19 budget.

“It should be stressed that a final decision will be made as part of the wider budget setting process of the full Council early in 2018.

“However, we felt it was important to engage at the earliest opportunity with the AIYF to ensure the committee’s position is communicated and that adequate time is available for alternative funding options and business models to be explored by the festival’s leadership team for future years.

“This does not impact on the funding commitment already made as part of the 2017/18 budget.”

Members of the committee did however give their support to a proposal for a new £100,000 cultural fund.

The Year of Young People fund will be open to groups and organisations who deliver youth-led cultural projects and events in Aberdeen.