Bradley Stoke Annual Town Meeting report:
• Toddler group receives apology
• Youth group has ‘challenges’ ahead
• Other news from the meeting

An apology has been issued to a toddler group using the Brook Way Activity Centre because of a lack of communication over the move of Bradley Stoke’s youth centre.

The group have collected a 251-name petition thinking they were about to be evicted from the centre.

But Bradley Stoke Town Council said daytime users of Brook Way would be able to stay with the youth centre active in the evening.

Councillor Mark Forsyth told the town’s annual meeting that they “would not want to see youth work impact on daytime users”.

He claimed they “never intended” to stop daytime users from being able to hire the centre.

The toddler group itself was described by one mother who attended the meeting as “being a lifeline for mums”.

The subject of youth work also put the council’s recent decision to move the club from the Jubilee Centre under the spotlight .

One youth pointed out the move to Brook Way would mean a 40 minute walk for some who live at the far ends of the town.

Councillor Brian Hopkinson suggested land in the centre of Bradley Stoke which had previously earmarked for a health centre could be used for a youth centre.

Cllr Hopkinson also addressed the thorny subject of Patchway youths using the Bradley Stoke centre saying “there may be challenges ahead”.

Bradley Stoke Town Council recently suggested that a contribution from Patchway Town Council could guarantee access for those children.

But, minutes published on the Patchway Town Council website from a recent finance meeting said contributing a suggested £12,000 left them with “many concerns”.

Other worries raised included anti-social behaviour on Saxon Way and concerns over medical provision in Bradley Stoke .

The Bradley Stoke Examiner’s exclusive about Sir Geoff Hurst attending this year’s community festival was also confirmed – the World Cup hero will be bringing the FA Community Shield.

A presentation on sport also gave Northavon Bowls Club the opportunity to question the town council’s commitment to sport – citing the fact seven of ten members abstained in a crucial vote in 2008 over rent at Bailey’s Court.

Ahead of Wednesday’s crunch meeting to decide the fate of youth services in Bradley Stoke – we want to know who you think should run them.

Sources are reporting that the town council is to withdraw funding from the Southern Brooks Partnership in favour of the district council.

But councillors have now been told a tendering process must be carried out meaning a a gap of several months before a new provider is found.

The town council is due to meet on Wednesday at the Jubilee Centre to decide what to do after the Southern Brooks contract expires.

Meanwhile, managers of the Southern Brooks have called on residents to contact their local councillors to ensure their views are taken into account.

We would like to hear what you think on this story – use the comments on this story or vote below on who you think should run youth services.

 Loading ...

Further reading:
The Bradley Stoke Journal: Town Council calls special meeting to resolve Bradley Stoke youth work crisis
Bradley Stoke Matters: Do you care about youth work provision in our town?

Northavon Bowls Club is set to be discussed yet again by Bradley Stoke Town Council as negotiations are set to restart with the evicted group.

The council’s Finance and Leisure Committee will hear an update on the current situation on Wednesday evening.

The bowls club were at the centre of a furious row over an increase in rent at the Bailey’s Court green which saw them evicted in May, before the last bowling season began.

Conservative councillor Mark Forsyth told The Bradley Stoke Examiner that the club has been sent a draft proposal ahead of a meeting with team bosses.

But Liberal Democrat Jon Williams has accused the ruling Conservative group of demanding “£10,500 in 2009/10 rising to £13,200 in four years time”.

The meeting at the Jubilee Centre gets under way at 8pm and will also feature more information about the youth club move to Brook Way.

The decision to move youth club services from the Jubilee Centre to the Brook Way Activity Centre has been slammed by a Liberal Democrat councillor.

The Conservative-led Bradley Stoke Town Council announced earlier this week that it was investing extra cash in youth services for the new financial year.

But this has meant the town’s youth club will move from the central Jubilee Centre to the northern Brook Way location.

Jon Williams says the says the decision is “disgraceful” and says he will “challenge” it.

He went on to question how the town council can “make a decision like this without warning anyone that they were planning to do so.”

“The 40+ young people who attend the club on a Tuesday and Thursday night really value the club and last year were forced to raise money to keep the club open.

“It appears that the Conservatives do not believe that young people have a voice in the town and have made this decision behind closed doors.”

The town council claims it will spend £60,000 – record funding – on the new facility.

What’s your view? Do you use the town’s youth club facility? We would love to hear what you think of the changes. Hit the comments on this story.

Councillors in Bradley Stoke have committed to spend £60,000 on youth facilities in the town over the next year.

The majority of the record funding, which will start from April 2009, will be spent on a new youth club at the Brook Way Activity Centre.

Cllr Brian Hopkinson, who worked on the plan, said: “This is terrific news for the young people in our town who have been turning their backs on the current youth offering, the new youth centre will be a place where they actually want to hang out.”

The council hope that by working in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council and voluntary sector partners further funds can be accessed.

This would help provide a joined up solution to youth work which will develop over the next two years and lead to a new youth hub in Bradley Stoke as part of the South Gloucestershire Draft Youth Strategy.