County Hall Opens Its Doors for You to Have Your Say on Kent’s Youth Services
July 19, 2011 5:24 PM
Originally published by Liberal Democrats on Kent County Council
Originally published by Liberal Democrats on Kent County Council
On Monday 25th July, County Hall Maidstone is opening its doors to everyone with an interest in the future of Kent's Youth Services.
From 11:00 - 13:00 County Hall will be open for young people, parents, youth workers, volunteers and others to give their view on whether the Kent Youth Service Transformation Plan should be launched for 90days consultation on August 1st.
Under the plan approved by Cabinet on Monday this week, each Borough will have only one "hub" youth centre. All other youth centres will be offered to private or voluntary organisations to run youth services but with a reduced budget. Any centres for which no alternative provider comes forward may be sold off.
The centres which are proposed to remain open as "hubs" are:
- Ashford North Youth Centre, in Ashford (Ashford District Hub)
- Riverside Youth Centre, Canterbury (Canterbury District Hub)
- Thames Gateway YMCA, (Dartford District Hub)
- Archers Court Youth Centre, in Dover (Dover District Hub)
- Northfleet Youth Centre, Gravesend (Gravesham District Hub)
- INfoZone, Maidstone (Maidstone District Hub)
- The Junction, Swanley (Sevenoaks District Hub)
- Café IT, Folkestone (Shepway District Hub)
- New House Sports and Youth Centre, Sittingbourne (Swale District Hub)
- Averbury Ave Adult Education Centre (Tonbridge & Malling District Hub)
- Quarterdeck Youth centre, Margate (Thanet District Hub)
- Town Centre Retails Space - yet to be identified, (Tunbridge Wells District Hub)
KCC will consider closure of all these centres, if no provider comes forward:
- XC Youth Centre (Ashford)
- SK8side Youth Centre (Ashford)
- Whitstable Youth centre, Whitstable (Canterbury)
- The Bridge Youth Arts Centre, Dartford (Dartford)
- Linwood Youth Centre (Dover)
- Aylesham Youth and Leisure Centre (Dover)
- Miracles Youth Centre, Gravesend (Gravesham)
- The Gr@nd, Gravesend (Gravesham)
- Shepway Youth Centre (Maidstone)
- Lenham Youth Centre (Maidstone)
- Edenbridge Community Centre, opening 2012 (Sevenoaks)
- Hythe Youth Centre (Shepway)
- Folkestone Youth Project, Folkestone (Shepway)
- Sheerness County Youth Centre and Activity Centre (Swale)
- Faversham Youth Centre (Swale)
- SAMAYS Youth Centre, Snodland (Tonbridge & Malling)
- Concorde Youth Centre (Thanet)
- Artwise Youth Centre, Ramsgate (Thanet)
- Mascall Youth Centre, Paddock Wood (Tunbridge Wells)
Monday's meeting is the idea of Trudy Dean, Liberal Democrat Chairman of the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee. It is supported by the Labour and Independent Councillors, but not by the Conservative Spokesman.
Trudy said:
"We are providing this opportunity for everyone to come and tell us what they think in a relaxed and friendly get together. Personally, I am keen to hear from young people whether they think it is appropriate to go out to consultation with these proposals", she added "This is the first time we has tried a public pre-Cabinet Scrutiny Committee event to encourage people to come and give us their views and I am absolutely delighted that Dara Farrell has accepted my invitation to chair the event."
Dara added:
"This is great opportunity for young people and their workers to hold an open and frank discussion on the future of our service. Come and tell the County's decision makers how the dismantling of Kent Youth Service may affect young people across the County."
Dara is the leading campaigner for the British Youth Council "Save Our Youth Services" Campaign, a member and former Chairman of Kent Youth County Council, and a senior member of the XC Youth Centre in Ashford which is listed as one of the centres threatened by closure.
County Councillors have been invited to observe the meeting as preparation for their more formal meeting of Cabinet Scrutiny Committee which will start at 2pm on the same day when councillors will be directly questioning Cabinet Members, Officers, and witnesses about the plans.
All the information regarding the Kent Youth Service Transformation Plan is available on the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee meeting online agenda - Item C1.
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