Youth centre to fall foul of cuts
Cuts to Warwickshire’s budget for youth services will lead to Lillington Youth Centre losing more than half of its staff.
Five full-time roles and one part-time position will be cut to just two full-time workers with staff having to re-apply for their jobs.
There is also no budget for running costs which means The Friends of Young People and Communities in Lillington group, which supports the centre, will have to raise funds to keep it open.
Group member Judy Steele said: “The service is now for targeted support, which means in the worst case scenario that it’s for one to one working, so no youth club sessions.
This, in practice, is madness because the sessions are where workers meet young people and young people can ask for help if they need it.”
The centre was saved from closure two years ago after cuts were made to the youth service budget.
Next week it will celebrate its 50th anniversary with former and current members being invited to talk about how the centre was of benefit to them.
Warwickshire County Council announced its budget last month which included cuts of £1.9 million arising from reductions in Government grants for early intervention including youth services.
Overall the budget was cut from £2.4 million for the last financial year to £1.1 for 2013/2014.
Mrs Steele said: “We’re worried this is not the end of the cuts. We wonder whether two years down the line there will be a youth service at all.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leamington
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
