A LOCAL councillor has voiced his disgust at Wiltshire Council’s decision to keep the Canberra Youth Centre closed, while a new youth club has been set up in a rented location across the town.
Wiltshire Council’s Liberal Democrats leader cllr Jon Hubbard has despaired at the council’s decision to continue paying to keep the purpose-built centre closed, while Melksham Area Board is renting the Adventure Centre in King George V park to host a new weekly youth club.
At last month’s full council meeting it was revealed that the cost of maintaining the Canberra centre – which is currently used as a storage facility – amounted to £11,234.
Cllr Hubbard said, “I was absolutely horrified to discover that the council spend so much money on keeping the building vacant. Finding a new premises to base youth services has been a real challenge for Melksham Area Board. We rent somewhere now, but it cannot be decorated or improved because we don’t own it.
“When the board consulted young people in Melksham, most said they wanted a safe space to be together. They have a facility built for that purpose, but they have been banned from using it”.
“Whilst I don’t like it, I accept that the building must be sold to help fund the new campus. However, the covenant currently on the building – which Wiltshire Council has known about for years – prevents Canberra being sold until 2017. Why can it not be used for its intended purpose until that time?
“Of course cuts to the youth service mean it’s unrealistic for it to open as much as it used to, but it’s such a senseless waste of facilities and money for the building to just be used as a storage space, and for the area board to pay to host a lower quality service somewhere else.
“The council is charging the people of Melksham to have their youth services stopped, and there is absolutely no logic behind it.
“That said, our new club is being run by a fantastic team; we hope it will become popular and instil hope for a growing number of young people in the town.”
At Wiltshire Council’s budget meeting in February, the council responded to cllr Hubbard’s concerns.
A spokesperson said, “Officers have been aware of the covenant in the deeds for the property for many years. The building closed as it was no longer required for youth services. The sale of the property was linked to the original business case for Melksham Campus.”
Melksham’s Canberra Youth Centre was closed permanently in July 2014 after over 40 years’ service in the town.
A new youth club recently opened its doors, however, and is open every Tuesday evening from 6.30-8.30pm for 13-19 year olds. It is held at the Adventure Centre in King George V Park.
The club offers young people somewhere to spend time, or to ask advice from community youth officer Ceri Evans.
The club is supported by dedicated volunteers Jack and Lauren who are on hand to welcome young people and find out how people would like the future of positive activities in Melksham to be crafted.
A cash injection from the Melksham Local Youth Network (LYN) has enabled the initial set up. How the club evolves and what activities are delivered will be influenced and decided by the young people who visit.
Melksham’s new campus is expected to open in early 2017, and will provide a six-lane swimming pool, bowling greens, a fitness/dance suite and gym, a cricket pitch, tennis courts, a library and a hall.
