“We felt it was important that the service should drive the building and not the other way around. It is possible we will need to provide a new building, but it is equally possible that existing buildings in the town might better meet the need, maybe with some modifications.” [Cllr Chris Lockyear, chair, Sidmouth Town Council]
“There is no doubt, we need a replacement – a new, modern, fit-for-purpose building that can fill the void the old one will leave behind, while expanding its potential for even wider use.” [Petition @ change.org]
At the council’s meeting in June, the Youth Provision Working Group provided confidential reports to councillors, who supported the group’s recommendations and resolved that:
a) Sidmouth Town Council would continue to support Youth Services in the Sid Valley, but that a full review of commissioned services would be undertaken in 2024/25 with a view to redesigning existing provision so that it better reflects the needs, voice and aspirations of young people as reflected in the Design West report dated May 2023; any redesign to be supported by a five-year action plan.
b) Sidmouth Town Council would close the Manstone Youth Centre building from September 2024 and provide youth services from an identified alternative location.
Sidmouth’s Manstone Lane youth centre is to close – but the town council is promising that youth services will continue in different, better premises.The building currently used by Young Devon has become increasingly dilapidated and expensive to maintain. At the same time, there’s a growing demand among young people for a different kind of youth service, operating from premises more suitable for their needs and activities.
Last week town councillors agreed that they’d continue providing youth services for the next five years, and would work with Young Devon to explore where these services should be based. They will also work with other users of the Manstone Lane centre to make sure they can continue to operate their services and events after its closure later this year.
Sidmouth Town Council has no obligation to provide youth services, but is very committed to doing so. However, last year the maintenance costs for the Manstone Lane centre amounted to nearly £44,000, which is 6.4 per cent of the council’s annual expenditure. Councillors agreed that alternative premises could be found at a much lower cost, enabling the youth services to continue while saving around £40,000 of taxpayers’ money that can be put back into other community services.
Cllr Hilary Nelson, chair of the Youth Provision Working Group of Sidmouth Town Council, said: “I am delighted that the Town Council has decided unanimously to continue its support for youth provision in Sidmouth.”
Sidmouth Town Council currently provides services to the young people of Sidmouth from the Manstone Youth Centre in partnership with Young Devon.
We want to ensure that the service provided fully meets the needs of young people. So, we commissioned a study from Design West on the needs of the young people, as well as the services currently provided by all the various clubs, societies and organisations in the Sid Valley including the Youth Centre itself. A consultation involved almost 500 young people sharing their views with us. This was a useful insight and showed us that whilst the Youth Centre provided a service that some young people needed, it was not suitable for all.
The building we use is in a poor state, costing us a lot to maintain. Surveyors, a while ago, advised us not to do major renovations as the building was at the end of its natural life. In parallel with our consultation with young people, we have been considering the best course of action for the Manstone Youth Centre building and commissioned Hayhurst architects to review options for a new building.
At a recent Council meeting the conclusions from all the studies were discussed. Although Sidmouth Town Council does not have a statutory duty to provide Youth Services, it was unanimously agreed that we should continue to make provision for young people but enhance it so that it took into account the needs and aspirations of young people, which they told us about during the consultation. Discussions about what future provision should look like are ongoing, but the commitment was made to provide services for at least five years.
With regard to the building, we were concerned about the very high ongoing maintenance costs as well as its fragile state. Given that there were other users of the centre, we wanted to ensure that we were not put into the position where we had to close it at short notice as a result of a major failure. This would have given the Youth Centre, and all the other users, a major problem as they would have to scramble around to find alternative premises. We therefore took the decision to close the building in September 2024. Ongoing discussions with other users meant that they had all considered possible relocation, which they are now pursuing over the summer, with the Town Council available to support where possible. We will arrange demolition as soon as is practical thereafter.
There has been a lot of speculation about whether we would replace the building and if so with what. The surveyor’s report clearly explained that any replacement was likely to be very expensive. Before we make any decision about a new build, we agreed we need to understand what service Sidmouth Town Council needed to provide to complement other services available in the Sid Valley. We felt it was important that the service should drive the building and not the other way around. It is possible we will need to provide a new building, but it is equally possible that existing buildings in the town might better meet the need, maybe with some modifications. Members of the Town Council have been to the Youth Centre and spoken to some of the young people who currently use the space. While they are sorry to see the Centre close, they were full of positivity about the future and had lots of interesting ideas, and we thank them for their continued enthusiasm and sharing their opinions with us.
Young people are important to our community and Sidmouth Town Council has made recent investments such as the new skatepark and the new playparks at the Ham and Long Park. Sidmouth Town Council, through its Youth Provision Working Group, are also working with Sidmouth College to support the Youth Council, and also the College Awards. The adage ‘young people are our future’ is as true as ever and the investment we make in our young people now will pay dividends in the future.
The hub of our small community, the Manstone youth centre, is a meeting point for many of us. Its significance goes beyond its aged walls; it serves a cross-generational purpose, offering diverse services. The imminent demolition of this local cornerstone has therefore sparked serious concern amongst us.
While it might not be in its prime, the centre has provided many services over the years, weaving itself into the fabric of our lives. In its absence, what will become of those who relied on its multiple uses? There is no doubt, we need a replacement – a new, modern, fit-for-purpose building that can fill the void the old one will leave behind, while expanding its potential for even wider use.
The reality of rapid urbanization cannot be ignored. According to the Devon County official estimates, Sidmouth’s population increased by over 3% between 2011 and 2019. With such growing needs, it is essential to have a centre that will be a beacon of social cohesion and support in our community.
We urge our local authorities to consider the benefits that a new centre will bring to our community and not leave us in a void. It’s about more than just a building – it’s about the potential it holds to foster social bonds and support the thriving community spirit in Sidmouth. Please sign this petition to show your support for the development of a new, modern youth centre in Sidmouth.
