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Safe and enjoyable summer for young people
• IT was beyond silly for Natalie Bennett (Letters, August 23) to suggest any sort of connection between a zero per cent council tax rise for residents and the fact that her bicycle seat was stolen by a group of small children.
Yes, we kept our promise to freeze council tax. But, no, this was not at the expense of activities and services for young people. Not only did we work to ensure good value for council tax payers, but our Camden Summer University and summer activities programme was also bigger and better than ever.
We are wholeheartedly committed to investing in a range of services for our young people to make sure they have a safe and enjoyable summer. This commitment does not stop at the end of the summer holidays but extends throughout the year to ensure that they are getting all the services they want and need to get the very best start in life.
This year’s £330,000 voluntary and community sector pot of funding for young people’s services included an extra £50,000 this year. (Yes, contrary to the myths perpetuated weekly by a range of correspondents to the CNJ, spending on voluntary sector youth projects actually increased in real terms this year.) This pot gave £35,000 for the popular and very well used Kentish Town Community Centre, which offers tons of social and personal developmental opportunities including arts, sports and exercise, volunteering, intergenerational workshops, off-site visits, support and guidance around education, employment, a youth club, training and more.
Meanwhile, Gospel Oak Action Link continues to hold a wealth of personal development workshops and the Castlehaven Community Centre Haven Youth Project is offering activities such as anger management, computers skills, healthy eating, music production, self-defence, team building, communication skills workshop among others.
Children and parents have also been making good use of our thriving holiday play schemes. Across the borough, all summer and during the first three weeks of the school holidays, more than 2,000 young people took advantage of free swimming.
Camden Summer University has also had a funding boost of £66,000 on last year with up to 1,000 young people taking part in the university’s courses. There really is something on offer for all our children and young people whatever their interests and whatever corner of Camden they live in.
CLLR JOHN BYRANT
Executive member for children
Camden Council
• YOUR correspondent is right about the group of boys in Somers Town who took her bicycle seat and seat post (‘Savings’ have cost me £40, August 23).These same boys are always looking for trouble. There is also the issue of complaints about “no ball games” signs on the estate.
Residents are entitled to live in peace. There are places nearby where kids could practise football instead of causing trouble to residents, many old and infirm.
Sydney estate resident
Name and address supplied
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