Page 8 - link magazine

8 The Link Magazine • June 2005
Councillor calls for youth centre
Great reductions
n selected at Toothill Farm
utdoor lights At the same time as Swindon Council was given the seal of approval
to take back and manage its education service from private education
Probably the widest contractors Tribal, Ofsted inspectors declared that Swindon Youth
selection of affordable Service is inadequate.
The West Swindon Area Forum halls across West Swindon. She
lighting in Wiltshire of councillors and residents on 9 saidofficerswouldberecommend-
May was the first chance to debate ing that:
the Ofsted report released earlier • Freshbrook and Westlea school
in the day. community rooms be offered to
Bernie Brannan, head of Swin- the school governors to manage;
Open: Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm don Council housing services said • Sparcells social hall, be declared
Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm the provision for young people is surplus to requirements;
not a pretty picture but improve- • Roughmoor Hall and Upper
ments were on the way. He said, Shaw Farm continue to be man-
"the youth services was not in- aged by the council.
cluded in the Tribal contract when She said the future of Toothill
they were brought in to run educa- Farm is uncertain. The condition
y
tion and it was temporaril put of the farmhouse has deteriorated
into housing and it needs in-
without its own The Ofsted inspectors say that the vestment in re-
director. The standards of young people's achieve- pairs.
Ofsted report „,o„, --i;,,, „f ,,,,th ,,,,,,i, ,,,,,.+i,.e Late last year

STOP DREAMING START RIDING
There's never been a better time
to buy a scooter spends more the chance to ex-
than the English press her anger
Zoom past traffic jams, no parking problems, local authority average, but the £1.8 at the way the council has treated
full year's road tax only £15 million is poorly directed. There is the club and the children it cares
noise, but not much to show for it. for.
See the fantastic range at
"The council is now tackling a "For years our group of volun-
THE CYCLING CENTRE, zo6 history of neglect and willbework- teers have been working independ-
Swindon's No.1 scooter dealer ing hard to involve young people, ently of the council to provide
staff and partner organisations in somewhere for children to go every
See our sensational 5} 4f scooters developing a new youth service. Friday evening. Now the younger
Prices "There are good people com- children are coming through to be-
6 from • Powerful 50cc Honda designed engines mitted to making changes; the come leaders.
£999 • Eco friendl prospects are exciting.” "From our contact with the coun-
• Automatic gearing - just twist and go Youth Service manager Peter cil officers, we are very suspicious
• Ideal for commuting, shopping or just for fun Robinson said council youth work of grand gestures and plans for the
• Fantastic eye catching colours in West Swindon was limited, but future. There has been a closed
__ Our price £999 O.T.R. three young people from the area shop of information to the public
Finance packages specially suited to your personal requirements arranged. had accompanied the Ofsted in- and also to our local councillors.
Easy terms available. Written quotations on request
spectors on visits to youth clubs We have been defending the farm-
around the town, and one high- house like the'Alamo'."
NOBODY BEATS THE CYCLING CENTRE light of the report was the work Toothill councillor Steve
being done with teenage mothers Wakefield said the treatment of
When it comes to deals on wheels we're streets ahead
living in the West. the club was nothing short of scan-
SAVE £££'S ON LEADING BRANDS ~u9` "We need to involve young peo- dalous and he wants to see invest-
Low prices Expert friendly advice range te o + ple in developing a strategy for ment in the farm as a centre for
ice ska ng
Top service B.M.X. specialist delivering a better service and we young people.
sharpen
service also need to look at providing a Shaw councillor Gary Perkins,
building where youth work can the cabinet member for education,
take place." said the Youth Service will soon be
233 Ferndale Road, Swindon
In another presentation commu- brought into the new Children's
Swindon Tel: (01793) 536657 nity buildings manager Gillian Services department. "This report
C
Morris reported on the condition gives us the direction for change
and usage of council run social and improvement."