Crime fears over Palfrey Community Centre closure
The closure of Palfrey Community Centre could lead to an increase in crime among young people in Walsall, it has been claimed.
Palfrey Community Association has gone into liquidation, leaving dozens of people out of work and parents without a nursery for their children.
The association, which was managed by the former leader of Walsall's Labour group Councillor Sean Coughlan, ran Palfrey Community Centre on Milton Street.
The community association went into administration despite having £500,000 in its accounts just 18 months ago.
Among its creditors are Walsall Council, who are owed £146,000.
The centre offered a day nursery as well as a youth club, adult learning sessions and a fitness centre before it closed suddenly on April 12.
Protestors took to the streets on Friday to march from the centre to Walsall Council ahead of an extraordinary meeting.
Riz Ahmed, who is the director of Youth Connect in Walsall, said youth workers are now having to take to the streets to support the 150 youngsters who used the service, now their "home from home" is gone.
He said: "We've been waiting to hear back from the council with any information, they haven't met with us so we're disappointed.
"It's a council-owned building so for us to gain access to equipment we need help from them.
"Other user groups have been in touch with me and they're also very frustrated and they want some answers and support.
"We ran two sessions a week in the centre, along with sports sessions and detached work which is going out onto the streets and talking to people in the parks.
"We weren't informed of the closure so a youth group turned up on the Saturday and they couldn't get in, our volunteers were really upset.
"It's going to have a detrimental impact on the lives of the users and the support structure for Palfrey.
"At a time where some young people are at a cross roads in their lives with crime, especially knife crime, an important service supporting them has been lost.
"It's one of the worst possible times. Instead of having centre sessions our staff are working in the parks and on the streets.
"The youth centre is a home from home and it hurts that they young people have lost that provision.
"Where there is a lack of youth provision there is always a chance that young people will fall into negativity and criminality, especially in an area that has deprivation and issues around knife crime, it's hugely disappointing."
