Budget cuts destroying district youth work
Council manager's disappointment that one of Thatcham's youth clubs has been scrapped
THATCHAM has lost one of its youth clubs and another will now only offer a reduced service, as a result of budget cuts by West Berkshire Council.
The senior youth club based at the Moorside Community Centre, Urquhart Road, was scrapped in July.
It catered for children in Year 9 and above and, on average, 17 young people used it each week, but closing it will save the council £1,200 per session.
The junior club, also run from the centre, will be adapted to cater for vulnerable children of all ages, but it will no longer be a drop-in centre that youngsters can use to socialise with friends.
In order to help members with confidence issues integrate, other children will be able to join the new club if they sign up to take part in the structured projects on offer.
The youth service operations manager at West Berkshire Council, Maureen Phillips, said that the budget cuts had been “quite destroying” to youth provision in the district.
She said: “Beforehand, the youth service was universal.
“Any youth was more than welcome.
“It will be a loss, I think.”
After budget cuts were announced last year, the youth services team announced it could now not afford to run all of the clubs, although in June it transpired that the district council had actually under spent its budget.
Angry town and district councillor Jeff Brookes (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said: “I hope the new members [of the council] will send a message back that it was unacceptable to make cuts to these services.”
During the summer months, youth workers will be talking to the young people and asking their opinions about the proposal to open a new club aimed at project work.
Thatcham Town Council has also asked for youth workers and club members to attend a council meeting to explain what the facility meant to them and how the loss would affect them.
Town and district councillor, Dominic Boeck (Con, Thatcham South and Crookham) said: “It's particularly important that somebody explains to them what is happening.”
The pupil referral unit, Thatcham Pre-school and the NRG music project will continue to run from the centre.
