Youth group crisis

Youth organisations wanting to bring new facilities to Uckfield are being held up because the charity they hoped to work through has folded.

Cllr Len Ashby told a meeting of the town council's policy committee that moves were under way to form a new and revamped Youth Trust to replace the organisation which ran the former Youth Zone, and he appealed for funds for the new charity.

The town council had allocated 10,000 for the existing Youth Trust in this year's budget, but that was never claimed and Cllr Ashby wanted that money to be made available for the new trust.

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He said it was needed to finance a new town centre meeting place and provide a base for a body of experts in different fields who could bring help and advice to young people.

Cllr Ashby said organisations wanting to be involved ranged from those involved with mental and physical health to a mediation service and drug awareness. The package of services which could be offered had been drawn up by an interagency youth forum involving a youth manager appointed by the community college, the police, youth services and councillors.

Deputy mayor Cllr Hilary Cary was initially concerned about giving a grant to an organisation which did not yet exist, but eventually she joined other councillors in welcoming efforts to set up the new organisation, and it was agreed that if the trust were constituted to the satisfaction of the council, funds should be made available from the 10,000 set aside in this year's budget to help open the new premises.

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