MINISTERS will be required to bring forward plans for the development of the £7.5 million youth centre at Le Squez, should a Budget amendment from a backbench politician win support in the States Assembly.
Deputy Karen Wilson is seeking, for the second consecutive year, to oblige the government to speed up the progress towards building the youth centre in the district she represents, St Clement.
In November 2024, Deputy Wilson proposed that funds earmarked in the Budget for infrastructure should instead be allocated to Le Squez, but her amendment was defeated by 31 votes to 15.
Now the former Health Minister is seeking to ensure that some of the funding allocated for the redevelopment of Fort Regent is brought forward and utilised for the project at Le Squez. This would involve a total of just under £7.5m being moved forward from 2028-29 to 2026-27, with a corresponding delay for the Fort investment.
In the report accompanying her amendment, Deputy Wilson said: “The Chief Minister made a personal commitment to bring the funding for the development of the youth centre a year earlier than was currently proposed in the Government Plan 2025-2028.
“Despite being in an earlier capital programme, government have again failed to identity the funding to redevelop the youth club in 2026 – this amendment will financially commit the government to starting the project.”
Deputy Wilson accused successive governments of pushing back the timeline over a period of 12 years, saying that there was now an urgent need to get started.
“There is a growing community need for youth space,” she said. “The current site does not have sufficient capacity to accommodate expanded youth work and struggles to manage competing demands.
“Investing in the redevelopment of Le Squez will mean government is showing a demonstrable commitment to improving facilities for young people in the area rather than making promises that have yet to be realised and [claims] that it is ‘upfront’ in prevention and youth wellbeing.”
Debate on the Budget, including a raft of more than 30 amendments, is set to commence on Tuesday 9 December.
