Burnham and Highbridge Town Council has defended its youth policy following recent criticism during a local election campaign.
The Town Council says it “cares a great deal about supporting the young people in our community” following recent comments, as we reported here.
Town Council by-election candidate Bev Milner Simonds pointed out that the Town Council’s latest budget has earmarked 26.69% of its funding on “residents who are dead” through maintaining graveyards, while 1.2% of its funding goes to “youth provision.”
But the Town Council has said this week that it works within the financial constraints of its annual budget and helps to support as many groups as it can.
Town Clerk Tatiana Cant told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Last year the Council gave grants totalling £10,320 to local youth groups including the BAY Centre, In Charley’s Memory, Sea Cadets, Kazdance, and Monarchs Gymnastics Club and is likely to make similar grants this year.”
“In addition to this there are a large number of other small organisations catering for young people over a wide age-range and these have their own funding arrangements in place.”
The clerk added: “We are already addressing this issue very seriously and we are keen to work with groups providing activities for young people.”
She will be attending a multi-agency meeting to discuss possibilities with Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset County Council and local groups to look at a more joined-up approach to youth provision across the parish.
The Council has alao set aside a separate budget to contribute towards a local scheme once this is agreed.
Also, Mayor Cllr Bill Hancock has chosen to highlight youth provision as his charitable cause and welcomes suggestions of ways to help promote and support youth groups in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge.
