Petitioners celebrate Bottesford Youth Club funding success

Cash to fund a youth worker has been pledged for another year after 362 people signed a petition saying getting rid of the club could put young people at an increased risk of being involved with drugs.
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Latest news EMN-190222-132702001

The petition, organised by Bottesford Youth Club, was handed over at Melton Borough Council’s latest meeting where it was later revealed that thanks to an underspend of £7,000 by the community safety partnership, funding can continue for another year.

Council leader Joe Orson, said: “We will ask the partnership to transfer the monies to Bottesford Youth Club to fund the next year. I can’t predict the outcome of any committee decision but I’m relatively confident that they will agree because it fits their criteria.

“If it didn’t, the borough council would continue to provide the funds for a further year.

“We’d then help the youth club look for alternative funding streams. There are many to be had, they could look at joining the Melton lottery, which is half the people who signed the petition tonight took part in, that would have solved the problem overnight and they could win £2,5000, that’s a win win situation.”

More than 360 people signed a petition pleading with the council to continue to fund the youth club.

Peter Booth-Clibborn, chairman of the youth club, said: “We were told by Melton Borough Council just before Christmas that the funding for our youth worker was at risk, and in fact they then immediately started the redundancy process for the role.

“We ran a campaign to highlight the huge benefit that having a funded youth worker brings to Bottesford and the surrounding villages in the Vale of Belvoir – in particular the reduction in anti-social behaviour.

“We were relieved at the decision to continue to fund the role – particularly as we now assume they will stop this redundancy process.

“From the statement made by Councillor Orson to local media after the meeting it appears that the funding will still be cut after 12 months – so we still need to continue in our campaign to ensure that we guarantee the job of David Bishop – who does a fantastic job supporting our local young people.”