Gwynedd youth clubs threatened with closure in shake-up

All youth clubs in Gwynedd could be axed as the council tries to save about £270,000 from its budget.

The council wants to shut all 42 youth clubs and replace them with a county-wide club delivering a programme of activities.

The union Unison said it would work with the authority to protect the "vital service" for young people.

Gwynedd council will launch a six week consultation into its plans on Monday.

Children's Commissioner for Wales Dr Sally Holland said it was "vital" that young people in Gwynedd continued to access extra-curricular learning, whatever the council decides.

She added: "Youth work provides a range of learning opportunities that enhance and enrich children and young people's personal, social, emotional and democratic experience."

The clubs, staffed by 142 youth workers, are held in 42 communities on various nights of the week.

A report, rubber stamped by the council in October, warned the current service was "not an option for the future" with the service needing £270,000 of cuts.

If the changes go-ahead, all of Gwynedd's youth clubs would close and be replaced with a county-wide club for 11-19-year-olds and a youth worker attached to every secondary school.

Personal support would also be given to 16-25 year olds who are facing barriers to education, training or work. A third sector party would also be commissioned to deliver specific needs.

A report to the council warned removing the clubs from the communities would have a "negative impact" on young people, but that this could be mitigated.

Geoff Edkins, Unison regional organiser, said: "We will work with the council to protect this vital service for the young people of Gwynedd."

The council said the county wide youth club would "deliver a programme of activities and projects for 11-19 year olds in schools and communities across the whole of Gwynedd throughout the year".

The consultation will run until 22 December.