Councillor Derek McCrum

It was with considerable shock that I learned of the closure of StayPlay which was one of those initiatives which are perfect for a genuine need, which was to follow the Government's wish to get single parents back to work by picking up children from Primary School and occupying them until parents could pick them up

First let me thank Terry Eckersley of Woking YMCA for his kind offer to use the Y pod as an alternative to the Leisure Centre. This is very much indicative of the YMCA’s policy of involving with the community. Terry has already accepted my invitation to set up a youth facility on the Barnsbury Estate and this will be launched on Monday 26^th January. I would also like to thank Ashley Rogers of WBC who has worked tirelessly to provide an excellent project and Stuart Harding of the Leisure Centre who ran the activities. Sadly despite all my phone calls, emails and appeals in the press, I am afraid that I have come up against a brick wall. The fact is that the transport is not sustainable and as we all know, that was the vital component all along. T

he venue is not the problem. Ashley has explained to me exactly what publicity was achieved and sadly, while many thought that it was an excellent idea, the numbers needed to make it viable never reached 50%. So that is the bottom line. 

Some schools realise the problem and hold after school clubs. I am meeting with the Head of Barnsbury School  and will discuss how schools might help.

The very best that I can advise Parents is to access the SCC Family Information Service on:www.surreycc.gov.uk/fis