£2.9m youth centre is practically unused

11:00am Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

Councillor Roger Hadley – agrees the youth centre is wasted Councillor Roger Hadley – agrees the youth centre is wasted

A £2.9MILLION youth centre has been virtually abandoned, just two years after it was built.

The Shoebury Youth Centre, in Delaware Road, Shoebury, was opened by Countdown star Rachel Riley amid a huge fanfare in July 2010.

Now its facilities, which include a recording studio, computer room and climbing wall, have been left to rot as it became a haven for teenage louts and vandals.

Critics have branded its decline an “appalling condemnation” of Southend Council, which slashed funding for the centre during last year’s budget cuts.

Mike Assenheim, an Indepen-dent councillor for Shoebury, said: “It is a tragedy it has come to this. This is a brilliant facility which has simply not been utilised in the right way.”

Graham Longley , the leader of Southend’s Liberal Democrats, said: “To my mind, this is an appalling condemnation on this council.

“The whole youth service needs looking at desperately.”

Teenagers in Shoebury spent two years drawing up plans for the youth centre, which was funded by the Big Lottery Fund, in collaboration with Connexions.

When it opened, the building featured regular volunteering workshops, band rehearsals and a restaurant run by the YMCA.

As well as the climbing wall, computer room and recording studio, the centre also includes a dance studio, sports hall and a garage for youngsters to practise car repairs.

But the recording studio and computer room have now been permanently locked to protect them from vandals, while councillors claim the other facilities are rarely used.

Roger Hadley , a Tory councillor for Shoebury, said: “The restaurant closed down more than a year ago. I have never seen the garage used, the dance studio is rarely occupied and there’s often only two or three youths in the entire building. It really is a waste.”

Critics blamed much of the centre’s decline on its association with the Renown, a school which deals with troublesome youngsters, as well as the council’s funding cut-backs. The authority now only shells out for activities for “vulnerable” youths, relying on volunteers to run sessions for other teenagers.

Mr Assenheim said: “Rightly or wrongly, there is a perception the centre is only for a certain type of youth.

“Parents don’t want to send their children there.”

James Courtenay, Tory councillor responsible for youth services at Southend Council, said: “Rest assured, the local authority has not been sitting idly.

“I have visited the centre and we have been in talks about the way forward. I am happy to talk to anyone who is willing to help this situation, because clearly it could be improved.”

Comments (8)

11:28am Thu 20 Sep 12

notinwestcliffanymore says...

“To my mind, this is an appalling condemnation on this council.

.
more like an appalling condemnation of the yoof that made it a dangerous place to be.
“To my mind, this is an appalling condemnation on this council. . more like an appalling condemnation of the yoof that made it a dangerous place to be. notinwestcliffanymore

11:38am Thu 20 Sep 12

BD says...

mr hadley should know why its falling into decline after the council cut the funding that paid for the qualified climbing instructors, the guy that was to run the recording and rehearsal studio etc etc...

If he's so concerned about it go talk to your bosses not the echo
mr hadley should know why its falling into decline after the council cut the funding that paid for the qualified climbing instructors, the guy that was to run the recording and rehearsal studio etc etc... If he's so concerned about it go talk to your bosses not the echo BD

12:08pm Thu 20 Sep 12

v.randy says...

Like so many projects,whats the point of raising £3M to build something if you don't have or more likely don't want to actual pay the costs associated with its running.
Time and time again the councils little pots of ring-fenced money reveal a complete ignorance of how the real world works.
The council has just bought a Rolls Royce and realised it hasn't the money for petrol.So this building and it's poor old cafe that never got off the ground will drift into neglect...well done!
Like so many projects,whats the point of raising £3M to build something if you don't have or more likely don't want to actual pay the costs associated with its running. Time and time again the councils little pots of ring-fenced money reveal a complete ignorance of how the real world works. The council has just bought a Rolls Royce and realised it hasn't the money for petrol.So this building and it's poor old cafe that never got off the ground will drift into neglect...well done! v.randy

7:11pm Thu 20 Sep 12

firedog says...

Yobs rule again and will do so until a bit of sensible disipline is applied to
society in general.
Yobs rule again and will do so until a bit of sensible disipline is applied to society in general. firedog

7:11pm Thu 20 Sep 12

firedog says...

Yobs rule again and will do so until a bit of sensible disipline is applied to
society in general.
Yobs rule again and will do so until a bit of sensible disipline is applied to society in general. firedog

7:38pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Brunning999 says...

Not a Nice area to go on the evenings especially when there are so many nicer areas locally.
Not a Nice area to go on the evenings especially when there are so many nicer areas locally. Brunning999

5:21pm Wed 26 Sep 12

HalfBloodPrincess says...

It appears that Roger Hadley is either grossly misinformed, or he is ignorant and stupid. I know from personal experience that the youth centre has not been abandoned.
I am a young carer and I attend a youth club that is held there every Tuesday. This youth club is very important to me, and to many other individuals that go there; it gives us rest-bite, an opportunity to socialise, and also support whenever we need it.
Although Hadley says the facilities are 'left to rot' it's mostly because of cuts to funding. So I suggest that before he whines and moans he should be in possession of all the facts first before making such an ill-informed statement.
It appears that Roger Hadley is either grossly misinformed, or he is ignorant and stupid. I know from personal experience that the youth centre has not been abandoned. I am a young carer and I attend a youth club that is held there every Tuesday. This youth club is very important to me, and to many other individuals that go there; it gives us rest-bite, an opportunity to socialise, and also support whenever we need it. Although Hadley says the facilities are 'left to rot' it's mostly because of cuts to funding. So I suggest that before he whines and moans he should be in possession of all the facts first before making such an ill-informed statement. HalfBloodPrincess

5:21pm Wed 26 Sep 12

HalfBloodPrincess says...

It appears that Roger Hadley is either grossly misinformed, or he is ignorant and stupid. I know from personal experience that the youth centre has not been abandoned.
I am a young carer and I attend a youth club that is held there every Tuesday. This youth club is very important to me, and to many other individuals that go there; it gives us rest-bite, an opportunity to socialise, and also support whenever we need it.
Although Hadley says the facilities are 'left to rot' it's mostly because of cuts to funding. So I suggest that before he whines and moans he should be in possession of all the facts first before making such an ill-informed statement.
It appears that Roger Hadley is either grossly misinformed, or he is ignorant and stupid. I know from personal experience that the youth centre has not been abandoned. I am a young carer and I attend a youth club that is held there every Tuesday. This youth club is very important to me, and to many other individuals that go there; it gives us rest-bite, an opportunity to socialise, and also support whenever we need it. Although Hadley says the facilities are 'left to rot' it's mostly because of cuts to funding. So I suggest that before he whines and moans he should be in possession of all the facts first before making such an ill-informed statement. HalfBloodPrincess

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