THE transfer of youth services from Dorset County Council (DCC) to the respective community bodies has been approved. 

DCC Cabinet agreed several proposals to take plans forward for youth centres across the county, including the use of the council’s general power of competence to grant a freehold transfer, assignment of lease, or long leasehold interest for several youth centres to the respective community bodies. 

The youth centre buildings affected include Gillingham, Bridport, Dorchester, Crossways, Sherborne, Southill, STEPS, Verwood, Wareham, Swanage, Somerford and Burton.

Cllr Robert Gould said: "I think it has been a terrific outcome. It has been complicated but bearing everything in mind today is good news."

Cllr Robin Cook added: "Nobody said this was going to be easy. What we wanted at the end of this was to provide something that is sustainable."

At the time of the cabinet's report, nineteen local community groups submitted business cases outlining their proposals for buildings to be used for community use.

All business cases had to demonstrate that any local community-led management arrangements were viable, stable, sustainable and legally binding.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

Cabinet also approved the transfer of local youth centre funds to community groups upon terms agreed by the director for children's services.

Cllr Rebecca Knox said: "This is about promoting the ability for communities to add to the service. It's an important positive. Lets take this as a good way forward.

"This is about the future generation and how we ensure they have the best start in life."

With the transfer of the buildings to groups agreed for some, other local youth centres face a different future.

Beaminster Youth Centre building will be retained as a living and learning centre while Portland Youth Centre building will be disposed of when IPACA’s Royal Manor campus closes. 

The lease for Top Club in Littlemoor is due to expire in January 2017 and Chickerell Town Council will create a new building.

In the council's vision for a new youth offer the report states the council want to focus more on providing support to vulnerable people in order to reduce demand for specialist services and help address the reducing budget. 

In January's meeting DDC Cabinet agreed to support an initiative to use Crowdfunding UK to increase £200,000 set aside to provide things to do and places to go for young people in Dorset to £1million through local fundraising and leveraging corporate charitable giving.

In addition to this, several initiatives will be supported to help community groups.

Staff will take up their new posts in September 2016.

Cllr Beryl Ezzard said: "All the local communities have put in a tremendous amount of work. Everyone has come together to work something out for their area and we wouldn't be in this position if they hadn't."

Youth worker Tom Lane, of Steps, said: "A group of trustees and others representing the charity worked extremely hard on the busines plan so my congratulatiosn to them. The charity is delighted to be able to retain STEPS as a youth centre and there will now be an ongoing challenge for us to raise sufficient funds."