‘Some’ youth clubs in danger of closing

A MAJOR review of youth clubs to help save £600,000 and spread the service more evenly across Oldham is under way.

Some clubs will close, because maintenance and heating are a drain on the £2 million annual budget.

The aim is to get more services closer to the 22,000 young people aged 13 to 19 in Oldham, according to Jill Beaumont, the council’s service director.

The results will be out in the New Year, but Councillor Kay Knox, cabinet member for children, young people, and families said: “Keeping things as they are now is not an option.”

The review hopes to build on multi-agency work already carried out for children in care, the Pupil Referral Unit, and at Positive Steps Oldham, which includes substance misuse, teenage pregnancy, youth offending and counselling services.

Councillor Knox added: “We need to take our services out to our communities. Those spending time in our youth centres are unlikely to be the same young people who might be tempted to take part in anti-social behaviour.

“We need to free up more youth workers to offer more targeted provision and diversionary activities that young people can take part in on their doorstep.”

There are 36 youth outlets across Oldham but only 13 of them are council owned — some of them are not fit for purpose, in old buildings with expensive maintenance and heating bills, such as the former Robin Hill wash house, Coldhurst.

Major plans are under way to build a £5 million Youth Zone in Oldham centre if the Big Lottery Fund approves the bid.

There were questions asked at the last full council meeting about closing Werneth, Fitton Hill, Royton and three other youth centres.

Ms Beaumont said: “Some will close but we won’t see massive closures. We will offer a range of activities and we won’t close any facilities unless we can assure areas of that.

“If that building is not fit for purpose we will look for something that is.”