More than 40 youth centres and projects might face closure due to budget cuts

More than 40 youth centres and projects throughout Birmingham are at risk of closure under cutbacks being considered by the city council.

Youth centres will be boarded up, sports clubs closed, health services cut and activities to help rehabilitate young offenders cancelled as the council attempts to save £3 million from its youth service budget next year and a further £1 million up to 2014.

It currently spends about £6 million on the service.

Critics of the cuts fear that teenagers could be excluded from education, training and work opportunities and that the cuts could also lead to a rise in crime and anti-social behaviour on many city estates.

Now a protest campaign has been launched along with a Facebook group Save Birmingham Youth Services, backed so far by more than 1,400 people.

Read the entire story at the Birmingham Post.