A CINEMA, alcohol-free club nights, places to meet and more job opportunities are just some of the things young people would like to see in Bordon.

They also want inflatables and slides to be introduced at Mill Chase Leisure CentreÕs swimming pool and more shops stocking items such as clothes, CDs and skateboard equipment to be set up in the town.

This was the message from teenagers in the town who took part in a district council citizenship programme earlier this year.

The wish list was considered by district councillors when they started to set out their priority actions for the next financial year on Tuesday.

Top of the youngstersÕ list was an informal meeting place, possibly a youth shelter where they could meet and not be viewed as Òcausing a nuisanceÓ. However, the youngsters did not indicate a preferred location for the shelter to be sited.

Second on the priority list was a nightclub for under 18s or alcohol-free nights at the Oasis club in the High Street.

Many of the young people wanted a cinema to be set up in the town because they felt that the high cost and ÒlackÓ of public transport to the area meant that travelling to venues in towns such as Guildford and Basingstoke, to watch the latest films, was not always possible.

The youngsters felt that having a cinema in the town would not only benefit them but would be an additional facility to be used by the whole community.

The survey of 15 and 16-year-olds at Mill Chase Community School found that many youngsters felt that events currently on offer in the town, including SNAP discos, were aimed more at younger teenagers.

However, it was not all Òplay, play, playÓ. Increased job and volunteering opportunities also found its way into the top eight things wanted.

Youngsters expressed an interest in learning new skills, earning money and trying out different jobs to find out what type of job they might like to do after leaving school.

One suggestion put forward was to advertise current job opportunities in the town on a special website so that under-18s could view any vacancies which existed in the area. The teenagers felt that this would not cost too much to set up and would be accessible to them.

At TuesdayÕs meeting of the district councilÕs area community committee, the wish list was handed over to members to give them an insight into the type of facilities which young people feel are lacking in Bordon.

Town and district councillor Zoya Faddy welcomed the ideas put forward by the youngsters and agreed that the restricted public transport in the town meant that youngsters found it difficult to travel to neighbouring towns for facilities.

ÒLooking at this list it is absolutely spot on. It is reiterating everything that is coming back to us from the youngsters in Bordon,Ó she said.

ÒI might remind councillors that we have the highest proportion of youngsters under 18 possibly in the whole of rural Hants. The need is even greater here. The website idea is a very interesting and I wonder if members are aware that there is an existing website set up by youngsters at Mill Chase School under the banner of the YUG (Youth Umbrella Group).Ó

Mrs Faddy added: ÒThe lack of public transport in the area comes up time and time again.Ó

Town and district councillor Adam Carew supported the youngstersÕ calls for a cinema in the town and said that it was Òabout timeÓ that Bordon had one.

Sam James suggested that events aimed at young people throughout the district should be better advertised to neighbouring towns and villages to encourage more to attend the events that are already on offer.

ÒThe problem with all these things is keeping the list down to what might realistically be manageable within the time and resources that we have got,Ó he said.

ÒAs far as youth facilities and activities are concerned, I think sometimes we need to get a better handle on what is already going on in the various village halls. We should co-ordinate our information and share our experiences and combine this with a better liaison with transport authorities to get people around the district enjoying events.Ó

Town and district councillor Don Mayes expressed concern that the facilities which the youngsters felt were needed in the town might not be provided until they were too old to enjoy them, if the district council did not act now.

He said: ÒMost of our community in East Hants has to travel outside the area for any of the facilities which they require. They have to go to Guildford, Basingstoke, Southampton and I feel for them. If we are just going to sit down and talk about this, then nothing is going to get done.Ó

Mrs Faddy suggested that introducing inflatables and flumes into Mill ChaseÕs pool would make the facility more appealing to young people. She also proposed that the district council discuss with the Phoenix Theatre the possibility of showing films there for the wider community to enjoy.

She added: ÒI do think the priority for the youngsters is some kind of partnership to actually provide a shelter or some kind of bandstand to make an informal meeting place for them. It could be done relatively simply in partnership.Ó

Meanwhile, Ferris Cowper suggested a number of priorities for Grayshott which he felt should be taken up by the district council.

Mr Cowper suggested that a new public toilet to replace the existing one was needed and further financial support for the popular youth group in the village, allowing them to continue to fund two youth workers.

The committeeÕs list of priority actions for the North East area will be taken forward for inclusion in the councilÕs 2004 to 2005 corporate action planning process.