Exclusive: Birmingham city council leader backs calls for new youth centre
Campaigners are calling for a new youth centre since the murder of a 14 year old boy
Last updated 10th Sep 2021
The leader of Birmingham city council has exclusively told us he's supporting calls to open a new youth centre, something campaigners are calling for following the fatal stabbing of 14 year old Dea-John Reid in Kingstanding in May.
Our exclusive figures show between January 2011-January 2021, more than 50% of council-run youth centres have shut in the city.
"...Youth services have truly been taken apart across the city..."
Speaking to us as part of our investigation into the impact closing them is having on young people in Birmingham, Ian Ward says; "What we have seen over the last 10 years of Government-forced austerity is this ripping out of council services and the hollowing out of what we can provide in essential services for the people of this city, youth services is a good example."
It's not just the city council feeling the pinch from cuts, the lead officer for youth violence at West Midlands Police, Superintendent Gareth Morris, says it's one of the challenges facing the force when it comes to keeping the streets safe. He warned; "The reality is that since austerity many of these most deprived areas have seen investment drop. So if we're serious about addressing violence, then yes it's our job to try and make sure we intervene early, but ultimately if we don't address those social areas of disparity, then we are forever going to policing the outcomes."
Campaigners say because of violence on the streets and a lack of opportunities for teenagers, a new safe space like a youth centre could be the difference between life and death for some. Following Dea-John's death, young people in Birmingham say they're too scared to go out and that youth services are outdated, with many local centres not providing what they need, or ultimately being shut down and abandoned. Ian Ward has this message for the Government; "We need money now put back into the hands of local Government around the country in order to rebuild the services that can have a really positive impact on young people's lives. Youth services is a very, very good example of that."