Charlie launches campaign against youth service cuts

A TEENAGER from Portishead has launched a campaign to fight plans by North Somerset Council to slash youth service budgets by up to 75 per cent.

Charlie Lane, 18, has set up an online petition to battle proposals by the cash strapped authority to reduce the youth service budget from £1.142 million to £282,736 by 2013.

The move will see all 24 youth worker posts deleted and funding currently allocated to number of youth clubs across the district cut to practically zero.

Instead the authority is asking community groups, parents, churches, schools, parish and town councils to step in and fill the gap in provision left by the cuts.

The youth service will be replaced by a new community family service which will provide support to the 300 most vulnerable families - 900 children -  across the district.

Charlie, who has been attending Portishead Youth Club since she was 11, has now set up an online petition and Facebook campaign - Save our Youth Workers, Save Our Youth Clubs, and is urging people to sign the petition.

The campaigning teenager has also written to North Somerset MP Dr Liam Fox urging him to step in and intervene.

Shop assistant Charlie, who is a volunteer at Portishead Youth Club, said: "The youth workers in Portishead have been so supportive and have helped me so much and made a massive difference to my life.

"Youth clubs cannot operate without their youth workers and if the cuts go ahead youth clubs will close.

"I went to the council briefing this week and was horrified to learn about the proposals.

"It is imperative that people support this campaign to stop these cuts."

Charlie is planning to hand the petition, which is also available at the youth club and shops in the town, over to councillors at their full council meeting on October 19.

She added: "I have achieved many things thanks to the youth service.

"I have done my bronze Duke of Edinburgh award through the youth club, taken part in a Rotary Club leadership scheme and I am also manager of the club's radio station.

"It would be very wrong to take these opportunities away from other young people."

The authority want people to set up community interest companies (CIC) to run youth services and have allocated £50,000 to help with set up costs.

Authority leaders said youth clubs would only be closed as a 'last resort' if no one came forward to run them or funds could not be found.

North Somerset Council director of children and young peoples' services, Councillor Jeremy Blatchford said a survey of provision in the district had revealed there were already more than 600 providers of youth activities in the district, including guides, scouts, church groups and sports club.

Mr Blatchford: "The aim of the review of the service is to provide a far more integrated service, working with town and parish councils, sports clubs, parents, volunteers and community organisations.

Youth provision is not just the responsibility of the local authority."

North Somerset Council is facing making overall cuts of £47 million to its budgets over the next four years - £18.6 million this year alone -  in a bid to balance its books.