COUNCILLORS have given the thumbs-up to an idea to install a youth shelter on the Recreation Ground in Wellington.

While councillors have agreed to go-ahead with having CCTV cameras installed at Wellington Park in a bid to deter loutish behaviour among young people, they have also acknowledged that they need to provide facilities for those young people who find themselves getting bored with nowhere to go.

Members of Wellington Town Council discussed the issue at the authority’s monthly meeting on Monday (June 2).

A reported prepared by the council’s chief executive and town clerk, Dave Farrow, said: “It is often argued that young people have nowhere to go in the evening and that the only shelter is in Wellington Park.

“On that basis, alongside the CCTV security proposals for the park, we are proposing that a youth shelter is installed on the Recreation Ground utilising the base where skate ramps used to be situated.

“Shelters are available with solar panels and charging points which would enable it to be lit and be somewhere where phones could be charged.”

Councillors were told that it could cost up to £10,000 to install, but officers would look at various funding options available.

Mr Farrow said that the idea had already been discussed with local police and the youth independent advisory group at Court Fields School and it had been met with a favourable response.

Cllr Andy Govier said: “I fully support the idea of giving young people some sort of facility such as this.”

Cllr Mark Lithgow said: “There will always be a group of young people who don’t want to go to a youth club or anywhere like that, but they are still part of our community and we have an obligation to provide things for them.”

And Cllr Justin Cole added: “I think the youth shelter is a fantastic idea.”