TNG, Sydenham Centre, Zanibar, Regency, Here for Good, etc.

[Tim Lund]

Originally I was thinking about posting something about the new TNG youth centre in Wells Park Road, where the Forest Hill Assembly was to be tomorrow evening, but has had to be cancelled because of "a boiler breakdown and other issues".



Not so much in itself, but the background is the running down of youth services. There's something on this in officialese in the minutes of the last Mayor and Cabinet meeting

8.72. Option 1 is to proceed with considering a mutualisation of the service following the delivery of the proposed savings, with the Council funding the mutual for three years, after which funding is withdrawn. The service will report back to Mayor & Cabinet on the possibility and risks (governance, finance, service etc..) associated with proceeding with a mutual prior to committing to this or any other structural option. The proposal sets out the risk that, at the end of the three years, without some level of continuing Council funding, services above the statutory minimum might not be able to be sustained.

and I believe the long serving council officer for this has recently been made redundant. So how does that mean this prestigious £3.5 million building is going to be used?

But before I did, someone pointed out to me that the same could be said of the recently renamed Sydenham Centre, which may also be facing cuts, which will lead to whoever runs it looking for more users from the community. The same goes for the Zanibar, and, should an investor ever stump up the sorts of money Louise refers to for the Regency Club, that too.

So potentially there is competition, and I thought what other supply there was in the market. The Here for Good Centre on Sydenham Road is already up and running, not too exciting, but very flexible, and superbly located. There are also Venner Road Hall and Silverdale Hall, which belong to the council, and some church halls further down Sydenham Road - there was once a Sydenham Assembly at St Philip Neri that I remember. A bit like the Regency Club, it would be amazing if, one day, the owner of the former Sorting Office in Silverdale found the money to invest in it, or sold out to someone who did.

I don't have a particular point to make, other than to stimulate others into thinking about this. On another thread, such as this, I might explore what the Mayor and Cabinet mean by mutualisation of services. but no need to throw in any more ism for now.

What do people think will happen? What would they like to happen?

[multisync]

TNG was a total waste of money.It is really underused, but the lights are on most of the time,sometimes on at 3 in the morning,another waste of money.
It could be used for keep fit or zumba classes or reminiscence meetings,as the old church hall was used.
It is a white elephant !!! a blot on the landscape [Knock it down]