A POPULAR youth club will once again open its doors following a cash injection.

The youth club will continue in Porthmadog – paid for with money from a Gwynedd Council bridging fund – it was confirmed earlier this week.

The local authority came under heavy fire earlier this year after announcing plans to shut all 39 youth clubs in a bid to save £270,000.

In response to the outcry, a £50,000 funding pot to help Gwynedd youth clubs survive was allocated.

Porthmadog East county councillor Nia Jeffreys was delighted the club was to re-open.

“I am very happy that Porthmadog will benefit from a share of the fund I helped set up,” she told the Cambrian News. “This will mean that the traditional youth club will continue in the town until April, with the town council taking over after that.

“This is a good result for the young people in the town – as they will have the new youth service and the traditional one. This is the best of both worlds. I know the club is very close to young people’s hearts.”

Town councillor Jason Humphreys was cautious about the decision but was pleased in principle.

“A motion that I made last month was carried by a majority of the town council,” said Cllr Humphreys, who represented the area on Gwynedd Council until he was replaced by Cllr Jeffreys in the last round of elections.

“This resulted in the meeting on Monday where we agreed terms with Gwynedd Council for re-starting the youth club in Porthmadog for two nights a week.

“Although this is an important milestone, the most important one is yet ahead of us, the day when the youth club actually restarts.”

However, he added the decision to close youth clubs across Gwynedd had already had an impact.

“Experienced staff have been made redundant,” he said.

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