{"id":477293,"date":"2026-04-13T17:32:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T16:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=477293"},"modified":"2026-04-13T17:32:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T16:32:37","slug":"mayor-announces-30-million-for-late-night-youth-clubs-in-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/mayor-announces-30-million-for-late-night-youth-clubs-in-london\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor announces \u00a330 million for late-night youth clubs in London"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>City Hall\u2019s \u00a330million investment in late-night youth clubs across London is &#8216;critical&#8217; to stopping at-risk youngsters from falling into a life of gangs and crime, a veteran community leader has claimed.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Mayor of London announced a \u00a330m investment this week that would fund a \u201cYouth Lates\u201d programme across all 32 boroughs in the capital.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>These clubs, set to open later this year, would offer activities, support, mentorship and food, with the intention of giving young Londoners \u201csomewhere safe to go\u201d and ensuring \u201cno one is left behind\u201d, according to Sir Sadiq Khan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"as3R7iFbxKlI4jTXtcV1ZhYWqmdpwvoEyG5\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"JDQSUYbFAQ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/knife-crime-in-southwark-what-do-the-figures-show-and-what-do-they-hide\/\">Knife crime in Southwark: What do the figures show and what do they hide?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Knife crime in Southwark: What do the figures show and what do they hide?&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/knife-crime-in-southwark-what-do-the-figures-show-and-what-do-they-hide\/embed\/#?secret=MkHkeMEq8t#?secret=JDQSUYbFAQ\" data-secret=\"JDQSUYbFAQ\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>City Hall say that between 2010 and 2024, 81 youth centres closed in London as local authorities across the capital were forced to slash the services as part of wider cost-cutting measures.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzkzOTEyMTk5MSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the latest round of investment has been hailed as a game-changer, with one mentor saying it will go some way to reversing the impact of the recent cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wayne James, the Managing Director of ML Community Enterprise who operate the Martin Lipton Youth Club (MLYC) in Brixton, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): \u201cWe provide somewhere for young people to come, socialise, develop, make mistakes without penalty \u2013 taking them on a journey from their early teens to adulthood. We fill a gap in their lives when they don\u2019t have a trusted adult.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtNDM5NjIzODMiIGNsYXNzPSJzb3V0aC1pbi1hcnRpY2xlLW1wdTkgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCI+PCEtLSAgLzE1NDcyNTA3MCwyMjY5NDE5Njk2OS9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzL3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3MgLS0+DQo8ZGl2IGlkPSJkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLW1wdTkiPg0KPHNjcmlwdD4NCmdvb2dsZXRhZy5jbWQucHVzaChmdW5jdGlvbigpIHsgZ29vZ2xldGFnLmRpc3BsYXkoJ2Rpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"995\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-995x560.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-477298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-995x560.jpg 995w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-498x280.jpg 498w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-1320x743.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-750x422.jpg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Late-night-youth-club-1-1140x641.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sadiq Khan at the Marcus <em>Lipton Youth Centre<br>Credit: London Labour\/City Hall<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe closure of youth clubs has been absolutely catastrophic. We are paying for the political decisions of those who shut places like these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNot every child comes from a home with two parents who can provide them with the right guidance and an example. Youth clubs have filled that gap and provided somewhere for young Londoners to channel that energy \u2013 to have an outlet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen we shut that off, we gave young people nowhere to do that \u2013 add the torment of social media to that. This Mayor has taken action in an area which is absolutely critical. He\u2019s focused on the late-night provision, which is usually not part of our programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKids who aren\u2019t home will be out anyway \u2013 if they don\u2019t have spaces like these, they will be vulnerable to predators.\u201d<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTA3NzQzMzg2OCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Sir Sadiq, who launched the policy at the MLYC this week, said the investment will work alongside City Hall\u2019s renewed focus on frontline policing. Officials say that prevention and early intervention \u2013 in the form of City Hall\u2019s Violence Reduction Unit \u2013 has seen more than 100,000 young Londoners access mentoring support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minister of State for Policing and Crime, Sarah Jones, added: \u201cUnder Sadiq Khan London has made huge progress tackling youth violence, with youth homicides now at a record low. But both the Government and the Mayor understand that undoing years of Tory mismanagement and failure to invest in our young people will take time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis new record investment from the Mayor in youth clubs could be a real game-changer, providing a high-quality space in every London community where young Londoners can feel safe and feel supported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We know this crucial time after school or at weekends is a vital time in ensuring young people have positive things to do and don\u2019t get drawn into crime and antisocial behaviour. Working together the Government and London Mayor are turning the tide on years of underinvestment in our young people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hina Bokhari, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly, told the LDRS that it was too little, too late, adding: \u201cWe know how much young Londoners are struggling. Youth unemployment is rising fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got the highest child poverty rate in the country. We desperately need more investment in youth services. But \u00a31million a borough does not cut it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u00a330m investment comes from the \u00a350m earmarked in this year\u2019s Mayoral Budget to \u201csupport young Londoners\u201d and keep them away from gangs and crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ms Bokhari accused Sir Sadiq of a lack of transparency on the funding \u2013 and accused him of holding the announcement to just three weeks before Londoners cast their ballots in the local elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly disappointing the London Assembly was never given a proper chance to scrutinise this policy,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI asked the Mayor in February how this money would be spent and got fobbed off, only for it to be announced in the run-up to elections. That is not democracy, it\u2019s not good policy making \u2013 it looks like vote-chasing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, Tory Assembly Member Alessandro Georgiou criticised the Mayor for failing to top up frontline policing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u00a330m is going into youth clubs rather than frontline policing as a means of tackling crimes,\u201d he said. \u201cPolicing is what stops crime, and with offences in London increasing, the public deserve to feel safe on our streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWas there no better use for this money, at a time when the Mayor is overseeing the potential loss of more than 1,300 frontline police officers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Police officer numbers fell slightly in February 2026 from the month before to 31,325, more than 2,000 lower than when Sir Sadiq was re-elected in May 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"suPfYGVkzrbJBg4dCENSDpM\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"smaUM2f4Jx\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/south-london\/campaign-to-keep-brixton-police-stations-front-counter-open-24-7\/\">Campaign to keep Brixton Police Station\u2019s front counter open 24\/7<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Campaign to keep Brixton Police Station\u2019s front counter open 24\/7&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/south-london\/campaign-to-keep-brixton-police-stations-front-counter-open-24-7\/embed\/#?secret=TdjQSn2NQK#?secret=smaUM2f4Jx\" data-secret=\"smaUM2f4Jx\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>City Hall\u2019s \u00a330million investment in late-night youth clubs across London is &#8216;critical&#8217; to stopping at-risk youngsters from falling into a life of gangs and crime, a veteran community leader has claimed. The Mayor of London announced a \u00a330m investment this week that would fund a \u201cYouth Lates\u201d programme across all 32 boroughs in the capital. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19652,"featured_media":477299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"These clubs, set to open later this year, would offer activities, support, mentorship and food"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"800"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7375,13539,15871,800,13602,13543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-477293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-lambeth","category-london","category-news","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=477293"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":477304,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477293\/revisions\/477304"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/477299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=477293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=477293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=477293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}