|
|
 |
| |
Cllr John Bryant |
Crunch talks to save teens’ canal centre
Celebrated rock climb and abseiling tower face closure
BITING cuts to youth service grants could lead to the shock closure of a celebrated rock climbing and canoeing centre in Camden Town, council chiefs have been warned.
The SOS signal has been raised by the Jubilee Waterside Centre near Elm Village – a former Victorian pumping station which in recent years has been transformed into a striking canalside centre for teenagers. Its striking rock climbing walls, fleet of canoes and abseiling tower are used by nearly all of the schools in the borough.
But the Town Hall, despite offering support previously, has ignored the centre in its latest round of grants and the Jubilee, short of £30,000, has been plunged into an unexpected budget crisis.
Talks between senior councillors in charge of the Town Hall’s purse strings and the centre’s managers are due to be held tonight (Thursday). Jubilee supporters were yesterday (Wednesday) pinning their hopes on the discussions, hoping they will lead to a decision to reverse the cut to the grant.
Centre chairman Martin Short warned on Monday the funding gap could lead to a complete shutdown. He said: “Without immediate help, we will be forced close the Jubilee with immediate effect, lay off staff and leave the borough without the ability to provide youth activity for over 600 children and dozens of Camden schools.”
Mr Short said that the centre had met council demands to together a full business plan and begun extending services by opening at weekends.
In a letter to council chief executive Moira Gibb, he added: “No organisation can sustain such a sudden and unforeseen loss of income, particularly as it had every reason to expect that Camden’s support would continue.”
Tim Hadley, who organised a gala day at the centre two summers ago which saw councillors abseiling down the building, said: “The centre is used by hundreds of people every week. We need help to keep it going. It is still possible for the cuts to be reversed.”
Ward councillor Roger Robinson, from the Labour group, said: “If we lose the Jubilee, we will lose an excellent sporting facility.
“It is a very important centre for my ward. It makes a big difference and it is very important that it gets funding.”
The cuts remain one of the hottest issue at the Town Hall since scores of youngsters. Other services feeling the include Fitzrovia Youth In Action and Gospel Oak Action Link.
Lib Dem councillor John Bryant, in charge of the children’s department, said: “The changes are as a result of a more rigorous objective tender process being applied this year in which three stakeholder panels were involved, including one of young people, who agreed with the final recommendations.
“This process has in some cases identified other providers would deliver better quality and more cost effective services.” |
| |
|
|
|
