Labour votes funds for Hanham youth centre

From South Gloucestershire Labour

Labour councillors representing the Kingswood and Staple Hill areas have voted to provide funds for youth work to continue in neighbouring Hanham.

Last autumn South Gloucestershire Council had to respond to savage government cuts of 25% to youth work funding, making the tough decision to limit the amount it could spend on services.  Central funds are being targeted to ensure the provision of a youth centre in each of the council's six Priority Neighbourhoods, with the remaining reduced funds delegated to the council's five Area Forums to allocate across the district.

At yesterday's meeting of the Labour-dominated Chase Area Forum, councillors voted to provide funds of £9,500 as a contribution to help a voluntary organisation run sessions at Hanham Youth Centre.

Labour's Lead Member on Children & Young People, Councillor Gareth Manson (Lab, Woodstock) commented:

"Kingswood and Staple Hill's Labour councillors recognise that some young people from our areas use Hanham Youth Centre and we are happy to support the application to us for funds to help continue the work there.  

"The changes that the council is having to make to youth services come about as a result of savage central government cuts to funding.  Ideally we would not want to ask other organisations to take control of our youth centres, and we will always do what we can to assist young people to continue to have access to services within our very limited resources."