Plans unveiled to keep Kenilworth’s youth centre alive...

[dutchman]

Kenilworth Youth Centre’s future could be saved by its management committee - despite funding cuts.



Subject to agreement with Warwickshire County Council, and being able to develop a sustainable plan, the committee plans to turn the centre into a charity called theKenilworthcentre.

The new charity, which aims to be running the centre by autumn, will work closely with other organisations and Kenilworth people, to maintain youth and community services in the town.

This move has been made in response to the county council inviting alternative management arrangements at certain youth centres in the area after councillors agreed to cut youth service funding by £3.5 million during February’s budget, leaving £1 million available to “transform the service”.

A public consultation on the plans was launched last week and will continue until Monday May 9.

Cllr Heather Timms (Con, Earl Craven), the county councillor responsible for children, young people and families, said: “The pace and magnitude of the financial challenge requires large scale reform and this means we will have to make difficult decisions across the whole organisation, including youth services.”

However John Whitehouse, chairman of the youth centre’s management committee, said: “Although we are being faced with funding cuts, we have no plans to close the youth centre in Abbey End.

“We believe that with the support of Kenilworth people and organisations, we can continue to deliver the real community contribution that has been made through the activities supported by the centre, and the professional youth work it delivers.

“The centre runs two senior youth activity nights per week, a junior club on Friday evenings and a junior cinema club on Saturday afternoons and the Spring Playgroup.

“It is a venue for a range of leisure and education activities, with more than 800 users per week.

“We want to see this continue well into the future.”

A Warwick district-wide consultation event in which public views are being sought about the future shape of the county’s youth service will take place at the Kenilworth Youth Centre on Monday April 18 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

All interested parties are invited to drop in.

Potential supporters of theKenilworthCentre charity are asked to call 855205 or email enquiries@thekenilworthcentre.com