"After listening to the voices of young people in Southall, we’ve decided to keep the Young Adult Centre at its current location."

Last year, Ealing Council made a commitment to find a new permanent home for the Young Adult Centre (YAC) in Southall.

Was this commitment made last year in 2021? Were the notices inside the Young Adult Centre years earlier saying it was closing down an illusion?

The young people and residents were vehemently opposed to this and campaigned against the move.

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Why do you need a NEW permanent home when you already have a perfectly good purpose built home in the heart of Southall?

The Council proposed that a perfectly good purpose built youth-centre be demolished and replaced by a more housing consisting of two blocks - 5 storey high-rise housing 60 flats

Young Ealing Champions were fighting to save Young Adult Centre from demolition in July 2021.

The "draft Ealing youth plan consultation" ran from December 2021 until march 2022.

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It said that "The council has previously consulted with young people on its plan to deliver youth services" and billed it as a "bright future ahead for Youth Services in Southall?"

There has been no meaningful engagement with the needs of our young people.

On 19 October 2021, Ealing Young Champions protested outside Ealing Town Hall. Their petition of over 1,500 signatures allowed them give a passionate speech at the full Ealing Council meeting.

They were ignored because they were inexperienced young people. There was no indication that the Council would reconsider anything.

There were two consultation meetings at the Young Adult Centre on 2nd February 2022 and 11th May 2022. The consultations were about what youth services do you want but not on these premises.

People were told that decisions had been made and cannot be changed. There was no indication that the Council would reconsider anything.

Ealing Council have been closing and limiting the services that take place at the centre over recent months. That is not a sign of listening to the residents. There was no indication that the Council would reconsider anything.

In June 2022, the "Save Southall Youth Centre" campaign was set in Southall Town Hall. This campaign group consisted of experienced people who were willing to challenge Ealing Council decisions and the manner in which they were made. A letter was sent to Ealing Council leader Peter Mason to meet and discuss this issue.

On Tuesday 26 July 2022, there was a protest on the footsteps of Ealing Town Hall before the start of a Ealing Council meeting inside at 7pm.

The local councillors said "we are arranging temporarily locations for the services". They also said "where are the young people?" who oppose our closure/demolition plans. There was no indication that the Council would reconsider anything.

On 5 August 2022, Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal replied on behalf of the council leader stating that “no formal decision has been taken” on the closure of the YAC and we should wait for the outcome of the Youth Services review.

If that was the case, why were all the councillors saying the decision was taken years ago. Furthermore, the Youth Services review did not have an option for the YAC to remain untouched.

The recent “Shaping Ealing” survey carried out by Ealing Council showed that Southall residents were NOT happy with many things. Did Ealing Councillors finally get their OWN OFFICIAL message?

At a meeting in Southall Town Hall, two new Councillors said that they would not accept a cart before the horse solution and if that was the situation they would support the campaign.

According to Ealing Council, the change of heart is due to "Following a public consultation that was held by the council’s Youth Service in 2022 and a meeting held by The Young Ealing Champions in 2021, young people and residents have demonstrated unanimous support for the site to remain in its current location, and to focus investment on an upgrade to the facilities that the youth centre currently offers."

That is NOT the view of those who were present at these consultations. They felt ignored. No one wanted to listen to them.

A NEW and ACTIVE campaign has been going on for 4 months to save the Young Adult Centre from imminent closure and demolition.

The "Save Southall Youth Centre" campaign has been busy for 4 months, engaging with residents, distributing leaflet, putting posters in shop windows, talking to Councillors, protesting outside Ealing Town Hall, writing to the leader of Ealing Council and exploring all options open to them. Did that have no effect on the councils plan for closure and demolition of the YAC?

If residents PERSIST in standing up for their rights then the Council cannot just IGNORE them.

Hopefully, the message from some new Councillors that they want to work with the residents will bear more fruit.