Alex Easton MLA has calls on Ards & North Down Council to review its policy on Summer Schemes after Breezemount Community Centre was withdrawn as a venue.
Speaking today Alex Easton MLA said:
“After attending a public meeting last Wednesday night at the Breezemount Community Centre, I was struck by the upset that some parents had at the loss of the Breezemount Community Centre as a centre to deliver the summer schemes. This was a much needed centre to deliver the summer schemes for the local community and the loss of this as a venue has had a devastating impact with parents and their children missing out.”
“While I except that there is roughly the same amount of places available for access for parents across other venues it is the loss of this venue that has made it virtually impossible for parents to get to other areas across North Down to get places, as there is no cost savings according to Council and no reduction in numbers I cannot see why Breezemount was left out. I would today call on the Council to look at a review of locations for next year and to also look at the possibility of local community’s delivering summer schemes themselves within their local community’s by a further reduction of hiring community centres to deliver summer schemes and reduce it from the 25% reductions for community’s down to a reduction of 75% for the delivery of Summer Schemes, it would also be important that for community’s who wish to deliver summer schemes themselves are given the proper training by Council. It is vitally important to ensure that local community’s get to deliver these programmes in their own areas because that is what makes summer schemes more accessible and better for local community”
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