Birmingham council accused of putting ‘vital’ youth centres at risk
Birmingham has been accused of “playing fast and loose” with the city’s young people over its divisive youth service plans.
The financially-stricken council has reviewed the service in a bid to make savings and wants to offload four centres to a third-party provider.
They are Clifton Road Youth Centre in Sutton Coldfield, Naseby Youth Centre in Alum Rock, Maypole Youth Centre in Druids Heath and Lozells Recreation Group.
The authority wants to retain ownership of four others – Shard End Youth Centre, The Factory in Longbridge, The Lighthouse in Aston and Concord Youth Centre.
Druids Heath councillor Julien Pritchard said the plans put centres such as Maypole Youth Centre – which he said was already earmarked for future demolition – at risk and urged the council’s administration to reconsider.
“Proposing disposal of youth centres without someone confirmed to keep them open is playing fast and loose with our young people,” he said. “I’m worried that this is just cover for closures.
“With Maypole Youth Centre earmarked for demolition in a few years because of the council’s regeneration plans, who does the council honestly think would take it on in the meantime?”
A council report, published ahead of a cabinet meeting this month, said the disposal decision for Maypole Youth Centre would be shared at a later date if a short-term partner could not be agreed.
Coun Pritchard described youth services as a “vital lifeline” for young people.
“If anywhere needs a youth centre it’s Druids Heath,” he continued. “But instead it’s seen as an easy target.
“The council can’t sell young people’s futures down the river.
“We need plans that keep youth centres in Druids Heath and across the city for years to come – not plans that risk shutting doors to young people.”
‘Modernising our approach’
Coun Mick Brown, the Labour cabinet member for children and families at the council, said the plans provided a “clear and balanced approach to managing our youth service estate”.
“[They propose] retaining key buildings in council ownership where direct delivery remains essential,” he said during a cabinet meeting this month.
“But we’re also ensuring we explore options like transferring other sites to trusted third-party providers who will continue to deliver youth services from those locations.
“This is part of how we are reshaping how we deliver youth services, working with community partners to ensure provision remains strong, sustainable and locally rooted,” Coun Brown continued.
“This is about modernising our approach, ensuring that money we spend delivers the maximum value for our young people.”
He said that after an open expression of interest process, every site identified for transfer had at least two viable partner organisations.
Coun Rob Pocock, the cabinet member overseeing the council’s transformation, said the plans were part of a “truly transformational reimagining” of the youth service.
“What we need is a broader and more engaging partnership ambition,” he said.
