The full Redbridge Council will on Thursday evening be debating a petition against the closure of Wanstead Youth Centre.
The petition was signed by 2,432 people, enough to trigger an automatic debate before the council. The agenda paper can be seen here, but it doesn’t tell you much about what might happen.
The final decision will be made by the Redbridge cabinet – the inner group of senior councillors which make material decisions – possibly next Tuesday.
It remains to be seen if the council will accept the request by campaigners that a 12-month moratorium be placed on the closure to give time for proper consideration of the building’s future to take place.
The proposal from Vision, the charity which runs leisure facilities for Redbridge, was only published in January and the site – which has been used for more than 50 years – faces closure at the end of April.
It also remains to be seen if the councillors will exercise democratic control over Vision’s proposal or if it is prepared to accept the decision at arm’s length.
One of the risks which was highlighted at the public meeting at the centre earlier this month was a rising sense that Vision had become unaccountable even though it runs key public assets including parks and libraries.
The council meeting will be streamed from 7.15pm on this page – a recording should be available afterwards.
Everything that Vision gets involved with seems to be a disaster or provoked controversy. The Cafe on the Park always seems closed. The Christmas Tree set up annoyed all the shopkeepers, the Drag Artist with bits hanging out performed for young children was withdrawn and the Council subsequently apologised. A complete mess. They really do seem unaccountable and out of control ! Certainly are antagonising the local community!
Totally agree with Compton …. The cafe was a total waste of monies and has lived up to what the majority said… vision needs to be made accountable for all that they do….. let’s see what happens tonight.!!!!
Seems like we get the pool, but lose the youth centre?
It will depend how much the council can get for the site, they are completely money orientated and out of control.it seems Vision was set up as a front to deflect criticism from councillors