Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council says it is “not shutting the door” on a local youth club which is set to close at the end of this year due to a lack of funding.
As first reported here by Burnham-On-Sea.com, The Zone Youth Club at Burnham’s BAY Centre has been successfully running for over four years – however it’s set to shut at the end of December due to a lack of funds.
Denise Emery, Burnham and Highbridge Town Council Clerk, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The Youth Zone was originally set up as a new Youth Town Council. The children did not wish to meet at the Town Council offices and it was moved to the Bay Club and became a youth club. The youth services were provided by Somerset Rural Youth Project and paid for by the Town Council following a successful bid with Somerset County Council for a grant.”
“At the beginning of the year the numbers of attendees at the club were very low. SCC Youth services, the Clerk and Somerset Rural Youth Project met and worked on service provision and numbers required to continue with the Youth Club. An agreement was reached that the Town Council would pay for half the year and see if the numbers increased.”
“The numbers have increased, but unfortunately Somerset Rural Youth Project have lost funding and the cost to the Town council was set to double to £10k per annum. The Town Council reluctantly concluded this did not offer best value, and that the service would have to stop at Christmas.”
“However the Town Council is not shutting the door, it is looking for other providers who can provide a qualified Youth worker to deliver not only fun and games, cooking and life skills, but support to the young people who attend.”
“The Town Council is currently balancing next year’s budget, part of which is a £45k grant pot, which this year has given out funds of £17,350 to seven groups that provide support for clubs, or wellbeing or other youth based services.”
Vic Windsor, the youth club’s leader, said the children were all “very upset” when she broke the news to them this week.
