LOCKED-OUT SCOUTS WANT IN FROM THE COLD

Changes to Council property letting arrangements mean one of Broughton’s busiest and most vibrant youth groups is at risk of folding.

Broughton's 11th Scouts have met on East London Street for over 80 years. The 26 children and their leaders now try to gather from 7.00–9.00pm on Friday evenings in St Mary's RC Primary School.

But since Council administrative procedures changed two years ago, and a series of temporary 'Service Support Officers' (jannies) took over from more permanent ones, the premises have often remained closed out of normal school hours with little or no warning.

The cover problem seems unique to Friday night lets, and has been getting worse. Repeated bureaucratic bungles have left the 11th Scouts locked out all but once since early December.

Scout leader Scott Richards told Spurtle, ‘We've got a great group of hardy Scouts in Broughton, but at this time of year – with dark and often wet, windy and cold evenings – we can't just stick up a tent to meet under.

‘If this level of disruption continues, I’m worried the troop will lose energy, direction and members ... and ultimately go into terminal decline. We can’t let this happen for the want of someone simply opening the school reliably.’ 

Frustrated by Council assurances that each incident will be the last, parents and leaders are now contacting ward councillors for help. Local churches have stepped in with offers of temporary accommodation, but a gym hall is needed for the active Scout programme.

One simple solution, parents suggest, might be to give responsible Scout leaders a set of keys.

Spurtle contacted the Council this morning for a comment, and at 5.00pm this evening was still awaiting a response. When one comes, we'll post it at the foot of this page.

---------------

Monday 17:27: A Council spokeswoman emailed us: 'There have been issues providing cover for this let since the New Year but we are confident that these have now been resolved'.