UPDATE FOLLOWING LAST NIGHTS COUNCIL MEETING

Following the extraordinary meeting of Chard Town Council on Monday 12 October, The Hive welcomes confirmation that the motion to immediately freeze its council funding was withdrawn.

The council’s statement acknowledges the strong attendance from residents supporting The Hive, with supporters overflowing the public gallery. It also recognises that the debate underlined the importance of providing an informal place for young people in Chard.

Councillors agreed that the Town Clerk would work with The Hive to review any outstanding issues, and The Hive is more than happy to do this.

The Hive welcomes the opportunity to work constructively with the council, answer questions and demonstrate the value of its services to young people and families. In fact, this is exactly what it offered to do before Cllr Eggins, Cllr Bulmer and Cllr Tribble proposed freezing its funding and allowing funds to be redistributed, which would have caused The Hive to close immediately.

We remain focused on providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive space, alongside practical support for young people and their families.

We look forward to working with the Town Clerk and the councillors who supported The Hive, its young people and their families