'The youth of Darlaston are walking the streets' - Campaigners plead for £20 million to help the town's youngsters after social club closure

A group of residents including Independent councillors Paul and Chris Bott and prospective member Pete Burton who is standing for the Reform Party in the May elections, want it re-opened for youth provision in the area.  They are also questioning the remit and credentials of the committee of the Darlaston Plan and say it should be 'community led'.

The plan will guide how £20m of government investment is spent over the next decade with each project having to align with the national Plan for Neighbourhoods priorities.

Councillor Paul Bott said: "The social club was a once thriving venue and has become the victim of the current climate where a lot of venues in hospitality are struggling to survive.

"But it is a sound building with two good size rooms and rather than see it sold for housing or something like that we have a plan to hopefully use some of the money from the Darlaston Plan to provide a youth service for the youngsters of the town.

"Currently there is a provision in a temporary venue in Moxley and a youth worker in place to start but here we have an ideal venue which could be used full time to get the youngsters who are currently walking the streets of Darlaston back inside and enjoying themselves.

"On a wider scale, we hope in April  we will be able to turn around the Darlaston Plan to make it more democratic and not have the funds and project decided by a committee which has not been voted for and in some cases won't represent the best interests of people in the town."

Mr Burton said he was worried the building would be sold off for an HMO scheme and called the Darlaston Plan board members 'undemocratic and not transparent.'

He said: "If we are all successful in the May elections we will challenge the structure of that board and make sure it is democratically elected and run for the good of the people of Darlaston

Alison Humpage was one of a number of residents supporting the councillors and called for 51-per-cent of the Darlaston Plan board to be from the community.

She said: "I applaud the councillors they have come up with a good plan for the future use of a building in the centre of Darlaston which at all costs must be used for the people of the town and it is important that is represented when it comes to spending the £20m."

A spokesperson for Walsall Council, which owns the building said: “Darlaston Sports and Social Club is council owned and subject to a lease. We are beginning to look at options for the building, in the event that the lease is terminated.”