THE transfer of some of Dorset's youth centres to the community has been approved by councillors.

Groups are now busy fundraising to support the centres.

Dorset County Council's cabinet agreed measures to push plans forward for youth centres, including powers to grant a freehold transfer, assignment of lease, or long leasehold interest for several youth centres to community bodies.

At the meeting on Wednesday the cabinet approved business cases from 16 community groups and agreed to transfer youth centre buildings to community groups in Somerford, Bridport, Burton, Crossways, Dorchester, Gillingham, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Swanage, Verwood, Wareham and Southill and STEPS in Weymouth.

The terms for the transfers will have to be agreed by the council’s director for environment and the economy following consultation with the director for children’s services and the monitoring officer.

It comes after the council withdrew funding for youth services and invited interest from the community.

Cllr Robin Cook, cabinet member for organisational development and transformation, said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to pay thanks to communities for rallying and coming forward with their business cases.

"It is a brave move which will help to address the need for us all – councils, community groups, voluntary organisations and agencies – to work more collaboratively to achieve the very best outcomes for young people.

“Nobody said this was going to be easy. What we wanted at the end of this was to provide something that is sustainable.”

Councillors also approved the transfer of local youth centre funds to community groups upon terms agreed by the director for children’s services.

With the transfer of some of the buildings agreed, other local youth centres face a different future.

The youth centre at the Lighthouse in Christchurch is likely to be closed and lease surrendered and in Corfe Mullen, Lockyer's Middle School look set to take on the building and provide space for youth and community activities on site.

The council has also said it wants to focus more on providing support to vulnerable people in order to reduce demand for specialist services and help address the reducing budget.

The cabinet agreed in January to support an initiative to use Crowdfunding UK to increase £200,000 set aside to provide things to do and places to go for young people in Dorset to £1 million through local fundraising and leveraging corporate charitable giving. In addition, several initiatives will be supported to help community groups.

Staff will take up their new posts in September 2016.