Chipping Norton Labour Party

For those  unable to attend the last meeting here are Rob’s (excellent) discussion notes:

Discussion notes – Rob Evans – CNLP Branch Meeting 20.11.07

  1.                  Youth – should we be bovvered?

It’s far too easy for society to say ‘Adolescent rebellious youth is just a natural part of growing up’; ‘ we just got on with it and made our own entertainment when we were young’; ‘you can spend a lot of money on one facility and five years later they want something else because youth fashion has moved on!’ BUT -         we all know that investing in youth is investing in all our futures -         we would have loved better facilities and opportunities when we were young!AND - as a community we are strongly committed to improving youth facilities as a key priority from the 2003 Town Appraisal and current plans and activities of Town Council and Town Partnership.  

 2.                  Educational context – do we have community schools?

• ACE Centre -  focus on families and learning from earliest age; Childrens Centre – Labour is first govt to co-ordinate universal nursery education  
• Primaries – St Mary’s and Holy Trinity have experienced greater funding, new building, stronger parental involvement, improved results
• Secondary CN School  – best results ever 2007 in SAT’s,GCSEs and A levels
• Perf. Arts specialism links Theatre, Penhurst, community closer with school  Extended schs prog – schools now open 8am to 6pm for youth activities Community Sports Leaders programme with Leisure Centre and primaries
• Raft of opportunities now within schools and improved results. But there is need to create variety of skilled and manual jobs post  Parker Knoll, affordable housing and attractive facilities so that young people can expect to work, live and socialise in the town rather fly the nest and then have their children here
• We are compact enough town to organise a town wide school travel plan to encourage more walking to school with focus on safety and fitness and cuts in car travel, congestion and pollution.

 3.                  What is there to do? Are young people bored?

• Around 65 voluntary organisns/clubs in town or area specific to youth or with junior membership – eg sports clubs,  Norts, Churches, Scouts, Guides, ATC [some took part in Feb 06 Freshers’ Fair Leisure Centre] 
• Lido – youth specific activities and encouragement  
•  Youth Theatre – 200 members and Music Theatre – 40
• Youth Centre at CNS – and some key villages – Over Norton 
•  Extended Schs prog at CNS – 83 clubs operating and Family Focus
• Emma’s Trust – Live Music Festival and events but
  • Do enough young people know the variety of what is on offer?
  • Do enough leave their computers and their rooms? Is info online? 
  • There are always the non participants in anything organised – TH steps – determined adolescent minority – negative image to all
  • Youth Service needs more funding to offer more evenings

4.                  What more do young people need? Can new facilities be achieved?

•  Facilities in centre of town – more to do in the evenings
• MUGA [Multi Use Games Area] and Shelter – WODC and Lottery Funds secured for facility to be established on Common 
• Hailcorns Association fund raising for play equipment on Cornish/Hailey play area
• Enigma – Discos in Town Hall – hoped to revive
•  Weekly after school ‘Chill Out’ session  in Lower Town Hall – Youth Forum and Town Council currently under discussion
• Better transport and inexpensive – get to other places and events 
• Theatre wants new space for expanding Youth and Music Theatre [expressed interest to OCC in current Library building if it moves].
• New Youth Centre in town centre [coincides with CNS needing current facility for its extended 6^th form]. Town Council has recently proposed current Hospital building when vacated in 2009  – could it be adapted and work with Youth Theatre, Emma’s Trust, sharing building and possibly other inter generational facilities also [eg new Library, space for Clubs]? How achieved ?
  • Young people in driving seat – need to have ownership of anything new  - Town Meeting 2006, Youth Forum
  • Difficulty of getting all youth groups together– no uniform voice – identifying right location for new facilities
  •  Key player is Town Council – seeking ways of using Town Hall for youth and bringing together all key players OCC, WODC, PCT and others to create and fund a new Youth Centre
  • Complicated land ownership and management deals needed through careful negotiation to create multi complex centre

  5.                  What can the Labour Party do? How can we attract young members?

• Research govt policy and initiatives and chase funding opportunities
• Work creatively and co-operatively with others on the initiatives
• Investigate co operative/social enterprise solutions for new centres/ facilities
• Approach schools and youth centres offering speakers, question and answer, presentations on our local activities and ideas
• Create blog /website accessible/attractive to young people
• Organise event/s predominantly aimed at youth?

R.Ll.E 20/11/07.