Latest news with #youthfacilities
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Warning of 'trouble' in Trowbridge without more youth facilities
A small business owner has warned politicians and police to "expect trouble" unless more money is invested in youth Witter, who co-founded Food Amore restaurant in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, said she regularly witnessed anti-social behaviour among young people in the town. Police and crime commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson has vowed to tackle the issue as well as introducing a Public Spaces Protection Order. "We just need more resource and more grants and more money to do more," said Wiltshire councillor Jo Trigg. Trowbridge residents, businesses and councillors met with the PCC at an event last week to discuss their concerns about crime in the town. Ms Witter said she was particularly concerned about young people's behaviour during the summer holidays."Apart from the skate park, where is there for these children to go? So don't be surprised when they're hanging out outside The Shires making the place look a bit risky."The children that don't tend to hang out, will hang out. That will become their culture. Then they'll start mixing with the wrong crowd, and then what? "Kids are easily influenced," she added. "You need to nip it in the bud, because you're dragging good kids into bad trouble." Ms Witter suggested a share of the £9m invested on restoring the town hall would have been better spent on a community centre. Kowann O'Neill, an 18-year-old from the town, said he frequently sees underage drinkers. He said: "Lots of kids would rather go out, get drunk and do drugs because there's not enough entertainment or any fun activities."These kids are going to grow up with the worst reputation, their education is ruined. "They're not going to have good jobs. It is just sad." Police community support officer Harry Brain patrols the town centre, speaking to intoxicated people and drug users to signpost them to the help available. He said there was an increase in this type of behaviour over the past year, but described a "massive decrease" in recent weeks. However, Mr Brain said business owners told him they see anti-social behaviour "24/7". Mr Brain said it was vital anybody who had concerns about behaviour in the town reports it to the police."There has been a few issues in the past with communication between the agencies and who's responsible for what," he said."I think we are seeing that the responsibilities are more shared and we know exactly what we should be doing and where we should be going," he added. He said reporting problems will help police in the long-term by showing them where patrols should be carried out. Ms Trigg is also a trustee for the charity Trowbridge Future, which runs youth activities.A venue on Mill Street opened last year following an award of more than £430,000 in National Lottery Trigg has said "more and more" teens are going to the building to seek a safe space to hang out.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Plans for youth facility on Jersey Gas Place rejected
Politicians have rejected plans to use a site earmarked for a primary school to temporarily be used for youth members rejected Deputy David Warr's proposals for Gas Place, St Helier, with 30 politicians voting against them, six voting in favour and six Minister for Children and Families, Deputy Malcolm Ferey, welcomed the decision to reject the plans and said any temporary facility would have interfered with building a school on the Warr said he was "baffled that there was so much negativity" in the debate. He said: "Teenagers of this island are underserviced, we have seen the shutting down of Fort Regent, the shutting down of the skate park in town, just all these facilities that are no longer available to our young people."To do a meanwhile use at Gas Place for me was a no-brainer. [It] was easy to do and it just baffles me that so much negativity came out at that debate."However, Ferey, who voted against the plans, said: "I think also the plan was to have a play area in that space and we already have well-formed plans for a new youth facility on the Ann Street site which will encompass a climbing wall, a sports hall and a kick pitch on the roof tops."So there will be a youth centre and a type of play facility in that vicinity in the coming years. "So I was concerned that if we redirect our energies and resources into a different project it could jeopardise two of those big projects for St Helier. One being the school and one being the youth centre." 'Considerable cost and effort' Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Elaine Millar, argued that a meanwhile use for the site would only last a few months as ROK Construction was using the site as it completed the Maisons les Arches housing said: "They will have occupation of this until June 2026."It's estimated that enabling works for the new primary school would begin in October 2026, so this meanwhile use would only be for a few months at considerable cost and effort."But Warr disputed it and said: "ROK are not currently using the whole of the site, in fact if you go in the Gas Place showroom right now its three quarters empty already."A lot of people need to go up there and see the reality of how that site is used."
