THE loss of a youth charity will have a ‘devastating’ impact on the West Oxfordshire community, a councillor has warned

The Witney Gazette reported last week that Base 33 had closed and declared itself insolvent – leaving a gaping hole for the hundreds of vulnerable children it supported.

Witney South and Central county councillor, Laura Price, said: "It’s devastating.

"Everyone who’s involved is really sorry to see the end of what’s been an important part in our community for a really long time."

Ms Price added that one key element that could be lost with Base 33’s closure was the ‘safety net’ it had provided to young people in Witney and West Oxfordshire.

She said: “It’s the point of contact for schools, councillors who have got a young person who needs extra support."

Base 33, in Welch Way, was set up 15 years ago as a support service for young people in Witney and West Oxfordshire, especially those with complex needs and substance abuse issues.

Ms Price added there must be a ‘political will’, both by councillors and statutory services run by Oxfordshire County Council, to ensure that the needs of people who used Base 33 are not ignored.

She said: “Youth work is not just about having a place to sit around with people and check Facebook.

"Youth work is a really important about how we can support children.”

"The county council is aware Base 33 has left a hole.

“I feel that this should be a wakeup call to say: we need youth work.”

Earlier this year, Witney mayor Councillor Chris Woodward unveiled the charity’s new minibus – which it was hoped would mean it could spread its message further across West Oxfordshire.

Last week he said he was ‘heartbroken’ for the charity’s six staff, its volunteers and users.

Its trustee Ron Spurs said the charity needed to close because donations being received to support its work were below its spending.

Last year Base 33 received £7,000 of funding from the Witney Gazette’s parent company Gannett Media in an effort to develop a new cyber cafe.

Base 33 regularly appeared in the newspaper – supporting children in youth clubs all the way up to helping people needing one-to-one support.