The countdown is on.
From April Fool’s Day 2017, Shropshire Council is predicting that it will no longer be able to fund youth services in the county. Even if it can find money, it will not be enough to fund youth support at the level we are used to or that we need.
The future of Ludlow Youth Centre remains uncertain. We want it to be transferred to community ownership to keep it safe for future generations. But we worry that Shropshire Council is planning to move yet move staff into the building, making it more of an office and less of a youth hub. We need the squatters out so that it can become a dedicated youth centre again.
Money and bricks and mortar are not the only issues we face.
We aren’t giving young people in Shropshire the best chance in life, according to new data published by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission. In Shropshire, we are ranked in the bottom 25% of social mobility for youth. In plain English, if you are born into disadvantaged family in Shropshire, you are likely to continue disadvantaged through life. We know that’s true in Ludlow.
It is time to tackle this. That’s why we are we are launching a resilience project for Ludlow. Our aims are improve young people’s life chances. We won’t achieve this overnight. It will take many years of work alongside existing youth services.
This is an ambitious project. It will need to involve the whole community. That means schools and businesses, playhouses and sports clubs, councillors and volunteers, and charities and social enterprises.
We are currently designing the resilience project. We are at the stage of knowing where we want to go but not how we will get there. That’s why we will be holding a series of workshops and meetings in the coming months.
Our first workshop is being supported by Shropshire Council and Locality. It takes place on Monday 29 February at 3pm.
This is an invite only event (there will be others!). We have a few spaces available. If you think you can contribute, send me a message as soon as you can.
This project is being coordinated by the Ludlow and Clee Local Joint Committee.
Ludlow youth are indeed fortunate that there are folk willing to look to alternatives for them. Here in Whitchurch our 70s custom-built Centre North East which has served the young people of Whitchurch so very well over the years is set to close. Youth workers were made redundant last year and Shropshire Council say they cannot afford to maintain the dilapidating building so we will find out tomorrow night at the LJC meeting what will happen to the building. Our all-Tory Whitchurch Shropshire Councillors who agreed for the LJC to take responsibility for the Centre’s future will no doubt be looking for a buyer for the site. It is all quite sickening. Why are we losing all our long-held public facilities – with libraries, swimming pools, leisure centres, ambulance stations, police stations etc all at risk of closure will someone please tell me why, as in previous years, we cannot have a raise in Council Tax to cover? Surely people who are in work/in funds would not object to an extra pound a week or so to keep public facilities operating? The increase could be added according to a householder’s income so as not to penalise those who cannot afford an increase.
Hi Andy,If there is still room, may I’d like to come to the Youth meeting on Monday.Thanks John
Hi Andy, good start today with the challenge of moving towards action. Sorry, I can’t make the meeting on the 14th.
Regards,
John
Thanks John. We’ll keep in touch.