Peacehaven youth centre to benefit from share of £7 million

At the Joff proposals include remodelling the existing building with a rear extension and a lift at the front of the building to improve accessibility. With funding secured, the county council is hoping to have the wok completed by December 2024.

The Youth Investment Fund will help East Sussex County Council to provide a range of activities and support services for young people. It is hoped the services provided with the funding will help to build confidence in young people and reduce anti-social behaviour in the community.

The funding is part of a £300 million commitment by the Government to transform the out-of-school youth sector in ‘levelling up’ priority areas.

Cllr Bob Bowdler, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for children and families, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this money from the Youth Investment Fund that will enable us to provide state-of-the-art facilities. This money presents us with a wonderful opportunity to give young people in Heathfield and Peacehaven a focal point to take part in activities and access support.

“We have now been granted planning permission for changes to both centres and look forward to pushing ahead with plans and boosting provision for our young residents.”

The Government’s plans will see 44 youth centres nation-wide share a slice of £70 million of Government funding through its Youth Investment Fund. Announced in March as part of the Prime Minister’s Anti Social Behaviour Action Plan, the move will mean hundreds of organisations in areas of high anti-social behaviour incidents can stay open for an extra night a week. The support is now guaranteed until March 2026.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills.

“These next 44 youth centres will give 12,000 more young people the opportunity to access these activities, building on the first tranche of Youth Investment Fund investment that is seeing new projects like the Alt Valley Communiversity opening in Liverpool and support for Scouts and Girlguiding groups to reduce their waiting lists. We will make sure every young person has someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go.”

The announcement comes after the Culture Secretary laid out her commitment to boost youth services in a speech at the Onward think tank last month.

The investment will target youth services in some of the country’s most underserved areas where need is high and existing provision is low. The new funding means more than £160 million will have been committed to 87 centres in England since 2021. As many as 300 projects are expected to be built or renovated over the next two years.

The National Lottery Community Fund has confirmed it will match fund the initial Government commitment of £11 million for the Million Hours Fund, bringing the total to £22 million.