The proposed move of Bradley Stoke’s youth clubs to the Brook Way Activity Centre could lead to the closure of other community groups in the town according to Town Clerk David Chandler.
All youth clubs in the town are currently set to be transferred to the Brook Way site from 6th July 2009 following Bradley Stoke Town Council’s decision in December 2008 to enter into a “partnership agreement” with South Gloucestershire Council for the provision of youth work in the town.
Youth clubs in the town are currently run by Southern Brooks Community Partnership, but the contract is up for tender and a new agreement is set to come into force from 1st October 2009.
Mr Chandler told a recent meeting of the Council’s Finance & Leisure Committee that no other hirers will be able to use the Brook Way building once the youth club transfer has been effected in July. He explained that this was a “practical consideration” based on the fact that the youth clubs would want to install soft furnishings and a pool table and have posters about sensitive subjects on the walls.
Some groups currently using the centre might be unable to relocate and would therefore have to close, he warned.
The Council is now in the process of preparing a statement to existing hirers, some of which have bookings well over a year ahead, to inform them that they will be unable to continue at Brook Way after 3rd July 2009.
Block bookers of the hard courts at Brook Way, such as the Black and Blues Netball Club, will be allowed to continue, although no new bookings will be taken as the youth clubs also wish to make use of that facility.
It seems, however, that the Brook Way move is not yet a done deal as the meeting also heard that alternative venues for the youth club are still being investigated. A site in Great Park Road, adjacent to Butterflies Nursery, has been suggested and several Councillors have apparently been to view it.
What is wrong with the purpose built youth facility at Baileys Court???? Why do they have to have yet another new building????
Charming, so where will all the toddler groups go? Will the blood bus still stop there? What an utter insult to all the other groups. Pathetic.
Why have none of the toddler groups been informed of this? I am on the commitee of Sticky Fingers toddler group and this is the first time any of us have heard of this.
Where will the toddlers go if this goes ahead or have the council forgotten about them?
We need to have somewhere to go too
Apparently the move to Brook Way is to make the club closer to Patchway Common where one of the councillors involved lives. how corrupt is that?