Agenda and minutes

Present:          DDC Councillor Kevin Mills                 Chairman

KCC Councillor Gordon Cowan         Vice-Chairman

Other Councillors and 15 members of the public; Phillip and Hayley from Archers Court Maths & Computing College; Demi, Holly, Charlie and Stephan representing Dover District Youth Forum; a representative from Dover Boys Grammar School;  Nadeem Aziz Chief Executive DDC; Bill Butler Area Youth Officer KCC Youth Service, Yvonne Holder Youth Officer DDC.

1.         Chairman’s welcome

Cllr Kevin Mills welcomed those attending the Forum which would focus on young people of Dover, their issues and ideas

2.         Notes of previous meeting

            Were approved as a correct record and there were no matters arising.

3.         Support for Young People

3.1       Bill Butler spoke about his formal and informal work with young people. Funding from Kent Youth Service enabled groups of young people to suggest trips to events and venues and provided travel for outings.  Volunteers were always needed together with new ideas for the Youth Forum. Youth centres should be open at weekends and in school holidays.

3.2       DDC Cllr. Julie Rook reported the Teen Café in the Discovery Centre, Dover needed staff to ensure it was fully open.

3.3       Nadeem Aziz reiterated the need for commitment and involvement by volunteers to compliment the provision of assets such as Leisure Centres and skate parks.  DDC could not force developers to open cinemas, bowling alleys, etc as part of Dover regeneration but the fast track rail link and development of Dover Port would help to create the right climate for more facilities.  Dover had a limited catchment area and a population of only 40,000, unlike Westwood Cross in Thanet which could draw from a wider area. 

3.4       DDC Cllr. Kit Smith asked for information on where in Dover volunteers were needed and Bill Butler reported that successful volunteering sometimes came out of Anti Social Behaviour meetings.  Helpers were still needed with trips and projects by young people.

4.         ‘What’s on your mind?’

4.1       The updated play area in Kearsney Abbey park does not have much for children of secondary school age to do (Phillip).  Cllr. Julie Rook explained the Council was putting in a bid for £50,000 to upgrade equipment for children and young people including swings, slides and rubber surfaces and invited Philip to contact her to discuss what older children needed before the bid was completed.   Pencester Gardens in Dover had a big swing which was suitable for older and disabled children.

4.2       Dover cinema does not have many up-to-date films; could the Council help to improve it as, with all the shops closing Dover was not a great place and to lose the cinema would be a catastrophe (Stephan)  Cllr Julie Rook agreed businesses were struggling but explained that DDC  could not help commercial enterprises.  Nadeem Aziz felt that cinemas only worked as multiplexes; the single screen cinema in Deal had closed but with major developments in Dover, including the Waterfront, there might be sufficient future demand to attract an operator.  Were there volunteers who would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.