Tories fail to deliver promised youth facilities (Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats)

Tories fail to deliver promised youth facilities

July 9, 2011 4:37 PM

• [Jul 08] MORE that two years after thousands of young people took part in selecting six projects to provide new youth facilities, the Council hasn't even started most of the projects, leaving the allocated funding sitting in the bank.

Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Jaeger raised the lack of progress with the projects at Tuesday's Council meeting, when it was revealed that only two out of the six projects had been implemented, and that the remaining four schemes might not now be taken forward.

In June 2009, an on-line poll of young people was conducted to select projects to provide new youth facilities, under the £1 million 'change your world' initiative established by the last administration. More than 11,000 votes were cast and young people selected the following projects:

• Barn Elms skate park and BMX track;

• Ham youth centre multi-use games area;

• Hampton Youth Project kitchen and IT room development;

• King's Field skate park;

• New hall at Heatham House in Twickenham; and

• Whitton High Street Youth Café.

Two years later, only King's Field skate park and the improvements to Hampton Youth Project have been delivered. Whitton Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Jaeger, said: "The promised Whitton youth cafe was due to open in the former Nationwide premises on the High Street. Expectations were high following consultation with young people late last year on how they would like to see the building fitted out. Now it transpires that the project is 'under review'."

Cllr Stephen Knight, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Richmond Council, said: "It appears that despite 11,000 votes being cast by young people to chose these projects, the Tories are planning to shelve most of them, despite the money still being in place to pay for them. I'm afraid that the message given out by the Tories to young people is 'don't bother giving us your views, because we're not interested'."

• Young people invited to have their say about the future of Twickenham - and Heatham House [Jul 08]

• Young people's votes to decide how £1 million youth fund is spent [June 14, 2009]