In November 2022, two Midsomer Norton Town Councillors proposed setting up of a Working Party to "investigate the current provision for young people provided by the Town Council, and within the town as a whole".

Papers prepared for the Full Council meeting on Monday 7th November 2022 detailed the initial investigations made by the current Deputy Mayor, Martyn Plant and former Town Councillor, Christian Griffiths, including discussions with "Lucy Mitchell, who runs skateboarding activities through Parc Skateboarding", who provided "information, observations and evidence of anti-social behaviour on the park, during Youth Connect South West sessions".

Cllr Plant visited Youth Connect South West at their Unit 17 session on Tuesday 11th October as well as having "conversations with Alex Davis at Midsomer Norton Community Trust and visited the hub container again on Tuesday 25th October 2022 to speak to Carrie Ford in more detail, and observe a session with young people."

The Council papers concluded that "Councillors Plant and Griffiths believe that it is time to investigate the provision the Town Council makes for young people in the town, with a view to creating a co-ordinated strategy to provide effective services and support, to effectively and appropriately meet the identified needs.

This would involve discussions with all current parties providing help, support and services, and other appropriate organisations and individuals, as well as consulting the young people themselves."

However, there is no evidence that this process ever took place.

There is no youth provision strategy published on the Town Council website and no evidence in agenda papers of any recommendations or reports produced by the Working Party. The only reference to the Youth Services Working Party came in papers produced for the February 6th 2023 Full Council meeting, which re-stated that the purpose of the Group was to "investigate the current provision for young people provided by the Town Council".

The Town Councils interest in Youth provision in November 2022 may well have been prompted by a request for £32,499.60 made by the Community Trust for a Midsomer Norton Youth Programme, in September that year. In the end, the Town Council agreed a budget of £24,000 for youth services in April 2023, but there is no evidence that this amount was based on any investigation of provision, or the involvement of young people.

Writing in the press last week, the Mayor, Gordon Mackay, said "I'm delighted a suggestion that came from the Strategy Working Party lead to the Council committing an extra £10,000 a year to fund a new youth club and there have been discussions about this being run in the Somer Centre in conjunction with the Community Trust and Youth Connect South West."

As welcome as this investment is likely to be, wouldn't it have been better coming as part of a strategy to delivery of effective Youth Services in the Town, addressing identified needs?

That was the rationale for the Youth Services Working Party that was intended to start a process of "greater engagement and involvement of young people in various aspects of town events, services and provision".

Without knowing the detail of the proposed Youth Club provision it's difficult to know whether this investment is a cause for celebration or another missed opportunity.