We have often been asked when talking to people in Linton - What happened to the youth club? T

he Balsham ward is lucky enough to have two, one taking place in Balsham and another in Castle Camps. Linton Youth Club had been in place for over 50 years. However three and a half years ago it closed due to the redevelopment work at the college. Apparently no other premises could be found, and so our County Councillor (who is also the Chairman of Linton Action for Youth), together with the Linton locality team (the youth workers for the area) decided they would integrate the youth club with Linton Action for Youth (LA4Y), and divert all Linton youth funds into LA4Y.

This was very fortunate for LA4Y at this time because their funding was running out. After 2005 there was no more Big Lottery Grant income and reserves would begin to reduce drastically. From 1999 to 2005 LA4Y spent £348,000 on youth provision and support!!!!! This was an enormous amount of money when you consider a normal youth club costs around £6,000 per annum to run, and that figure includes two youth workers. LA4Y was set up to run along side a youth club, and enhance youth provision in Linton and to focus on disadvantaged and needy youths, and not to be a youth club in its own right.

Numbers attending have been poor, and the facility itself can only hold a maximum of 30. The problem was that a lot of money was being spent on a minority of young people, with the majority being excluded.

On a recent youth questionnaire, the young people were asked the question Would you attend a Youth Club in Linton that is run like the other village youth clubs? The response was overwhelming.......... 78% of young Linton people answered that they would definitely or possibly attend such a club.

Following this response, Roger Hickford spoke with locality about the situation. It was confirmed that the combining of the youth club with LA4Y has not worked, and that if anything trying to run a youth club from LA4Y has hampered the efforts of LA4Y in helping the very people it was set up to help.

Roger has also spoken with the college who agreed that new premises could be made available in the new building, and it has now been agreed that Linton can have its youth club back in September. Roger says "This is great news and I look forward to working with locality and the young people to make sure this happens. Locality has also agreed to wholly fund LA4Y, and may also consider re-branding the facility. Locality will also fund the first year of the youth club if necessary, but would appreciate any help with funding from the parish council. At present, LA4Y receives a big grant of £5,500 from the Parish Council, and I feel it would be more appropriate for this money to help fund a youth club, as other Parish Councils do. A youth club must be the priority in Linton, a facility that is inclusive for the majority of young people, rather than LA4Y that is exclusive for a minority."

Local Conservatives are determined that the youth work and facilities paid for by the taxpayer meets the high standard of provision currently provided by the voluntary sector.