
Durham County Council said discussions are underway over the possibility of transferring youth centres in Fishburn, Newton Aycliffe, Peterlee, Seaham, Spennymoor and Stanley to community ownership through the Durham ASK programme.
A council document reveals that the council is seeking to save money through the "cessation of youth and community centres funded by the council and wherever possible the transfer of these centres".
Transferring responsibility for running the six centres could result in annual savings of £116,000.?
The document adds that should the current management groups of the centres decline the opportunity to asset transfer, "alternative uses for the centres will be explored to ensure that universal services continue for young people, their families and the wider community".
Ossie Johnson, the council’s lead member for children and young people's services, said £124m in savings needs to be found across the council by 2020 on top of £153m that has already been found.
?The council has said it needs to cut £1m from its One Point service, of which £2.1m of £8.6m is currently allocated to delivering youth support.
A 12-week public consultation on the proposals will open on 1 February and run until April.
The council said it wants to develop a new service delivery model to provide services for young people who need them most.
?Carole Payne, Durham council's head of children's services, said: "Across Durham, there are nearly 18,000 children living in areas that are among the most deprived in the country.
"Yet currently, despite prioritising and protecting youth services for as long as possible, the service is in regular contact with only seven per cent of all young people and nine per cent of those in the most deprived areas.
"A review of youth services has been carried out and a series of proposals have been drafted that would see a new approach introduced to identify and help the young people and families who would gain the most from our support.
"No decisions have yet been made.”?
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