March 1, 2001 16:58: CHURCH leaders have refused youngsters use their hall for a youth club partly because they are not Christians.

The proposed club is a parish council initiative aimed to keep kids off the streets and fight vandalism in the village of Seer Green.

A Baptist Church spokesman told a youth worker who asked for permission to use the hall that it is "obliged to be certain that any group meeting in our building does so with the same ethos as our own."

Gill Roberts, a church administrator at the Baptist church, added: "The fact they are not Christians is only a part of it.

"They should have a church member playing a part in the club."

The scheme received support from Buckinghamshire County Council, and last month, Maureen Bruce, a youth worker based in Chesham, wrote to the Baptist church asking for times, dates and the costs of using the hall.

Joseph Poon, the Chiltern Area Team Manager for the county council, said he was surprised by the church's attitude.

He said that without a venue he feared the worst for the club.

Mr Poon added: "We are not asking for them to supply this free of charge. We are now back to stage one.

"I believe as the local church, their first priority should be the local community and I was surprised in the way they just blankly said no to us.

"They are not prepared to support the local young people and in the village there is nothing for them.

"Why can't they support such a positive local issue?"

Chiltern district councillor Linda Bateman (Lib Dem, Seer Green and Jordans) said: "We are desperately in need of a youth club. I have teenage children and they are just lolling around in the road doing nothing."

Dennis Scourfield, elected chairman of Seer Green Parish Council, refused to comment on the decision of the Baptist Church.

Concerning the youth club, he said: "The parish council is trying to organise a youth scheme because we are suffering from a lot of vandalism and we want to be pro-active."

Anil Mitra, a member of the parish council, said he could not understand why the Baptist Church had not let the council use their hall.

He added: "We have spoken to the Scouts and they seem keen for us to have our club there but it's not as good as the Baptist Church hall. We aim to have the youth club running by May."

Matthew Harris