A NEW initiative in Prudhoe could see more money come into the town for the benefit of young people.

Plans are in the pipeline for the formation of a Prudhoe Youth Initiative.

At last week’s meeting of Prudhoe Town Council, chair of trustees at Prudhoe Community Partnership, George Hepburn, addressed councillors and asked if they would support the idea.

Speaking of the success of similar initiatives in Corbridge and Hexham, he said: “Prudhoe has never gone down that route and we think that we are losing opportunities to get charitable trust money for the benefit of young people in Prudhoe.”

While the community partnership would support the Initiative starting up, and the town council would have the opportunity to support its funding, the idea was for the group to apply for charitable status and form as an independent charity once it had gained some initial funding for small projects.

This status would allow the Initiative to apply for grant funding from large organisations which might not otherwise provide grants to youth projects in Prudhoe.

Councillors said that the youth initiative would be a positive addition to the town and they agreed to support the idea in principle.

The town council had already been looking to fund a detached youth worker to help tackle anti-social behaviour, but councillors postponed that appointment until next year after Mr Hepburn suggested that the Youth Initiative could be in a position to take on the project by next Easter.