Youth clubs close after council funding cuts

Peter Heckel said most of the Salus youth clubs had closed

The boss of a youth service provider that closed most of its 50 Kent youth clubs after council funding cuts has said young people have been given no information.

Kent County Council (KCC) ended funding for commissioned youth services – where outside organisations provide activities – from April, in a move to save £913,000.

Peter Heckel, chief executive officer of social enterprise company Salus, said his organisation had kept some services open by using reserves but could only do so for a limited time.

KCC said it had to adapt to “hard, financial realities” and services were being provided through family hubs.

'No safety net'

Mr Heckel said of Salus’s 50 clubs in Kent: "Most of those have now closed. The funding ran out on 31 March."

He said: “We were told KCC were going to provide alternative youth clubs both centre-based and detached youth sessions, but we’ve been asking for months where those are and we’ve been told nothing.

“Young people haven’t been spoken to. They haven’t had any information.”

He said young people had been left “really worried”.

Mr Heckel said voluntary services were the “cornerstones” of KCC’s early-intervention programmes.

“We prevent young people going into statutory services, mental health services, and actually the loss of those services is going to mean that there is no safety net,” he said.

A KCC spokeswoman said: “Moving to family hubs will help us better target services to young people where they are needed most – through a mix of on-site, online and community settings.

“Together with our partners, we’re working to ensure this transition is as smooth as possible. We’re also offering support to all affected youth groups.”