The Valley Young People’s Centre, which is on the grounds of Valley School, is set to be demolished as part of the final stages of the school’s PFI development.

Service users are being forced to move into temporary accommodation at the Balmoral Community Centre on Sandringham Crescent.

But Notts County Council, who are responsible for the building, says they are getting ready to submit plans to spend £1 million on a new youth centre on the Valley site.

Service users at the site were only officially told the news about the move at a meeting on Tuesday and next week are expected to attend the Balmoral Centre.

Sarah Watson, of North Road, Retford, whose severely autistic 13-year-old son looks forward to the youth meeting every week, spoke out against the council’s handling of the move.

”It’s disgusting that there has not been more consultation with us and our children about these big changes being made to the service,” she said.

”My son, Tom, loves coming to this club and is very settled here. It is very disruptive for him to be told he has to go to a different site at such short notice.”

Sarah’s husband, Martin, is also shocked that there has not been more discussion about the site.

”The Balmoral Centre is just a small community centre. It’s not got anywhere to play football indoors like this one. I don’t think it’s going to keep the kids coming to the club.”

The couple are planning a public meeting to put questions about the centre to the council and invite young people to have their say about the service provided.

Another outraged service user, who did not wish to be named, spoke of their horror at the changes.

”The youth clubs were promised they could stay on this site until a new building was built.”

”Now they are being made homeless at a time when the whole country is worried about youngsters and stabbings.