Thinking outside the Box

As Hampshire Tories confirm swingeing cuts in youth services, The Box Youth Centre in Wildern Lane is under threat of closure.

Wildern local councillor (and leader of the Lib Dems at county hall) Keith House told The Hampshire Chronicle:

“Residents seeing services slashed, from children's centres and youth services to the cutbacks in buses and bus passes, will be appalled that Hampshire's Conservatives are stashing more and more of council taxpayers’ money into the county bank.

"We said earlier in the year this was a cynical exercise to store up money for election year in 2013. The new figures prove our point. The Conservatives' twisted priorities are a disgrace."


Meanwhile a steering group has been set up with the intention of keeping The Box open.   Consisting primarily of Hedge End Town Councillors and members of Botley and West End Parish Councils the group will work with Wildern School and other interested parties.

Amazingly Hampshire County Council have not confirmed that they will be willing to transfer ownership of The Box if other bodies come forward to keep it running.

A meeting at The Box on 18th July heard evidence from the local police and health professionals that the sort of service provided there helps to keep levels of antisocial behaviour, drug use and unwanted pregnancies below what would be expected in an area with a relatively high population of young people.

Public service cuts such as these and those being made by the Coalition at a national level are short sighted because the cost of not providing the service is never taken into account in the calculations.