Additional reporting by kmfm’s Lucy Hickmott
A charity boss fears there could be a rise in “devastating” anti-social behaviour this summer due to ongoing cuts to youth services.
Zoe Carassik, CEO of Pie Factory Music in Ramsgate, says a lack of support and spaces for young people is fuelling feelings of frustration and abandonment.
It follows reports of disorder in the district earlier this month, though Ms Carassik says many of those involved were not local.
“It was really devastating,” she said. “Although I just want to be really clear that I think we know now that the young people involved in those specific incidents in Broadstairs a couple of weeks ago were actually from out of area and had travelled down to the seaside to cause disruption.
“So these aren’t necessarily young people from Thanet treating their home place with that lack of respect.”
This year, police have issued multiple dispersal orders across Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs in response to underage street drinking, fighting and shop assaults.
The disorder saw a gang of youths throw chairs at Sardinia restaurant staff, smashing windows and causing almost £2,000 of damage.
Chief Inspector Ian Swallow also described Thanet as the worst district he has ever known for violent clashes between drunken mobs.
Ms Carassik warned the incidents are a sign of deeper issues.
Speaking to KentOnline’s sister radio station, kmfm, she said: “This chronic disinvestment in youth work that we’ve seen over the last 15 years now has really led to a level of apathy – feelings of being completely lost, disregarded, not taken seriously and not listened to by a generation of young people who are turning into adults now.”
Pie Factory Music runs a wide range of programmes for eight- to 25-year-olds, from open-access clubs and music sessions to bike maintenance and support for refugees.
“We see about 150 young people each week coming to our provision,” said Ms Carassik. “We run lots of extra activities during school holidays, which keeps us very busy.”
But she says with Kent County Council cutting commissioned youth services, charities are now being left to pick up the pieces.
“I’m sure there will be an increase [in anti-social behaviour] this summer,” she said. “Before the cuts, there would also be a KCC-run youth offer across not just the district, but the whole county.
“Sadly, now that provision doesn’t exist and it’s being left to organisations like ours to try and pick up some of that slack with a massively reduced income.”
She praised the efforts of other local groups – including Newington’s Chill Club and the Pavilion Youth Club in St Peter’s – but warned it “doesn’t go far enough”.
Ms Carassik said the cuts represent a “false economy”.
“Cuts to youth services will lead to increased costs in policing, social services, education and health,” she said. “All the research shows you’re not saving money – you’re just kicking the can down the road.”
She also urged KCC to reconsider plans to sell the Ramsgate building her charity operates from – the last dedicated youth centre in the district.
“This is so much more than a youth club. This is a community asset,” she said. “Do you really think that’s going to help with the anti-social behaviour you’re seeing?
“Youth clubs change lives. Why wouldn’t you invest in that?”
In January 2023, KCC outlined plans to shut 35 of its children’s centres, saying it had little choice as it faced a £165 million backlog in maintenance work it couldn’t afford.
And in November that same year, the authority announced cuts to more than 80 youth clubs or facilities to save a further £900,000.
In a statement to KentOnline last month, KCC said it “remains committed to meeting the needs of vulnerable young people in Kent”.
Pie Factory Music launched a fundraiser to purchase Ramsgate Youth Centre last year, after learning KCC is selling the property. Two bids to buy it have so far failed.
In January, the council said: “It has been well documented that KCC needs to find an estimated £118 million of savings this year to balance the budget and protect statutory services in the future.
“Following the decision not to renew commissioned youth services contracts last year, the Ramsgate Youth Centre is no longer required to support the delivery of youth Services. KCC’s youth services are delivered via the council’s family hubs across the county.
“Given this, we will be progressing with the sale of the property in line with our normal processes for an asset of community value – which it is listed as.
“While this process allows time for community groups, including the Pie Factory, to raise funds and develop proposals, it does not obligate KCC to accept any proposal made. As the Pie Factory is aware, KCC has a duty to ensure it meets its financial, legal and statutory responsibilities as part of any sale in the interest of Kent taxpayers.”
