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Honestly I think it’s shocking the lack of youth provision so called ‘Young Croydon’ of Croydon Council have offered our children over the last 2 of maybe 3 years. How is this allowed? Our council tax is funding a team that has done nothing to provide positive activities and contribute towards reducing youth violence.
I would be curious to know their strategy plan and their outcomes across the last 2 years. At this rate the money is better off going to community organisations because these council youth services are getting away with murder.
There’s been two notable “events” around provision of facilities forCroydon’s youth over the past four years, David.
First was the failed Ofsted inspection in 2017, which required £30million to rectify that standard of care in Croydon children’s services. That spend was significant in the council’s eventual bankruptcy, too. And while much of that money came from other resources, it will have included funds that were diverted from other youth provision.
The other was the opening of the £6.5million Legacy youth centre on Whitehorse Road. It has received funding for its operation from sponsors, and the council denies that the provision of this one centre in the north of the borough has diverted resource from elsewhere. But that does not appear to tally with the experience of residents, such as yourself.
Thanks for your response. I think my main issue is that the Local Authority have a designated Youth Service with YOUTH WORKERS in house but have gotten away with years of not delivering any provision and creating any outcomes for our youngsters.
How can the Local Authority not have a Youth Strategy for their Youth Service for people making £30k every year. That team costs almost a million a year.
As for Legacy Youth Centre… it was selfish investing so much money in one Youth Centre in one part of the borough. No one from the South will access it
Have you tried asking the cabinet member responsible why they have no youth strategy?
I have indeed asked Councillor Flemming as shes the Leader for Children and Young People but no response. The council is very good at sweeping these under the carpet.