Youth club’s fate in the balance

HANDS OFF our youth centre! Labour councillors Tony Larkin and Olwen Chadderton

A GROUP of Labour councillors are demanding answers over the future of Royton Youth Centre.

Council bosses announced a shake up of youth provision, with plans to close some centres and expand the town centre’s Cannon Street Youth Centre, to help meet a budget shortfall and to house the town’s youth in more modern buildings.

But the council has yet to confirm which youth centres are to close — and councillors in Royton are desperate to know whether theirs is among those set for the chop.

Royton North Councillor Olwen Chadderton said: “I first heard that our youth centres were under consideration for closure at a youth council meeting on July 9.

“At a full council meeting on July 16, Councillor Jean Jones asked Councillor Kay Knox (cabinet member for children, young people and families) if there was any truth in the possibility of youth centres closing. This was denied.

“At a full council meeting on October 8 Councillor Jean Jones put a question to Councillor Kay Knox, regarding the closure of Werneth, Fitton Hill and Royton Youth Centres. This time it was neither denied, nor confirmed. Instead it was just fudge and waffle.”

“Royton youth centre is widely used by our young people and a number of classes for older people also take place there during the day.”

“What we want to know is are these centres going to close or not?

“We already have serious problems with some of our young people because they have nowhere to go and if Royton youth centre closes, we will have even greater problems.

“Can the Liberal Democrats tell the people of Royton where they propose to accommodate these young people if the youth centre closes?”

Councillor Steve Bashforth also voiced his concern for the future of the centre saying: “It is my understanding that six youth centres in Oldham will fall victim in the next rounds of budget cuts.

“I have it on good authority that one of those centres will be in Royton. This is a real cause for concern.

“Some parts of Royton are like Benidorm on a Friday night, with up to 200 youths gathering in certain spots, because they don’t have anywhere to go.

“I’m also concerned that if the young people don’t have a local youth centre, they are more likely to get involved with gangs who are out to cause trouble.

“I don’t envy the position this administration is in.

“Having to look for budget cuts is never easy, but all we want is a straight answer.”

Councillor Kay Knox said: “The closure of Royton youth centre is part of a proposal at this stage and no firm decision has yet been made. A final decision will be made in due course.”