SWEEPING changes to the way Surrey County Council delivers its community youth work in Waverley will result in Haslemere losing its youth worker at the Wey Centre, in Wey Hill.

Three youth sessions per week will continue to be provided at the centre by local volunteers, but fears have been voiced the withdrawal of the youth worker could lead the council deciding to sell the building.

County councillor Nikki Barton protested at last Friday’s Waverley Local Committee meeting: “Is this a backdoor way to close the centre?” when members were asked to approve the proposals. She added: “I am really concerned that is your ultimate strategy.”

Town councillor David Round, who also sits on the commitee echoed her concern. “If the use of the Wey Centre decreases it could be put under threat of closure,” he said. “Yet again, it seems that Haslemere gets ignored because it is at the end of the county. We don’t wish to have this reduction.”

Committee chairman councillor Pat Frost, who represents Farnham, responded: “Surrey County Council has decided to put its youth workers into areas of greatest need.

“If you look at the areas, which include Farnham, they have put it where it is needed. You should be very pleased they don’t think there is a huge need in Haslemere. If something does develop in Haslemere, we can move the facility.

“You shouldn’t take an entrenched position. You should look at it for the good of the borough.”

Councillor Denis Le Gal, who also represents Farnham, added: “It’s very important not to take a parochial view although it happens my area is in need of a youth worker.

“Having a professional youth worker is an enormous benefit to the community.”

Surrey is adopting a “hub and spoke“ model as its new way of delivering services across the county.

The model moves away from being centred in all 31 main youth centres to providing a more flexible service, which sends available resources to the areas identified as being most in need of youth support.

Waverley has been allocated £143,000 for delivery in the current financial year, which is £3,000 more than last year.

The committee agreed the new delivery proposals, which have been through three stages of development including a local needs assessment and planning by Surrey’s Community Youth Work Service, discussion and agreement of proposals with the local youth task group, and a public consultation with young people.

In the CWYS proposals for Waverley, Farnham is considered a “hub” and will receive five sessions per week, Godalming is a “spoke” and gets four sessions per week.

Cranleigh is also a “spoke” with one session per week and borough-wide there is provision for five sessions per week.

Haslemere does not feature in the table.

Waverley western villages member councillor David Harmer was concerned it would be difficult to identify pockets of need in the 80 square mile-swathe outside the main settlements.

“I am confident in urban areas there are very good local policemen who can tell you where candidates in need are,” he said.

“But in rural areas we don’t see the police any more. Parish councils are saying how do we know who they are, once they are out of the school system.”

Mr Harmer was assured that any vulnerable young person leaving school was contacted with the offer of support.

Responding to concerns about the future of the Wey Centre, council officer Dan Smith said: “We want to ensure resources are put in the best place. Surrey has committed not to close any centre and to continue to provide the resources for upkeep.”