TEENAGERS in Nailsea will have a youth club to return to after the Easter break despite North Somerset Council pulling its funding this week.

An axe has been hanging over the town’s Youth House after the unitary authority announced it is withdrawing cash for youth services, to focus on social services.

But now the Town Council, which has set aside money from its 2012-2013 budget for youth provision, has appointed Youth Outreach, made up of former North Somerset Council youth workers, to run drop-in sessions at the venue.

A council sub committee agreed to commit �10,500 towards a six-month contract with the organisation, which comes under the umbrella of the Avon Youth Association, to provide three sessions a week for 47 weeks of the year, at Youth House.

The sub committee looked at two other options for the provision but chose the company because project director Tim Blasdale had been employed in youth services for 27 years.

Youth Outreach will work alongside a new community group, Nailsea Youth Network, which was set up to co-ordinate existing activities and groups for young people in the town and bid for cash to fund them.

Sub committee chairman and town council vice chairman Councillor Clare Hunt said: “When North Somerset Council withdrew the money there was an uproar but in our town we wanted to continue the dedicated youth service at the Youth House because it is a worthwhile provision.

“We will review it after six months and see how things progress.

“We are hoping Youth Network will put in bids for approximately �22,000 to North Somerset Council for groups in Nailsea.

“There is already a working party looking at the criteria for the bidding process.

“The provision will only be for this financial year so we need to get some groups off the ground.

“But I want young people in Nailsea to know that Youth House is not closing and we encourage new members to come along and see what’s on offer.”