Key Points
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launches £30 million ‘Youth Lates’ programme to establish at least one late-night youth club in every London borough, including Havering.
- Youth clubs will offer safe spaces after school, evenings, and weekends with activities, mentoring, mental health support, and food.
- Described as the biggest ever investment in youth clubs by a Mayor, part of efforts to tackle crime root causes alongside £1.26 billion in policing.
- Margaret Mullane, Dagenham and Rainham MP, welcomed the initiative, stating it counters years of cuts to youth services.
- Builds on Violence Reduction Unit with over 550,000 interventions and mentoring for 100,000 young Londoners.
- Rollout expected to begin this year; linked to recent Clapham disorder and falling youth violence stats.
- Funded from £50m youth support budget; Conservative critic Susan Hall prefers more police funding.
Havering (East London Times) April 9, 2026 –Havering, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched the £30 million ‘Youth Lates’ programme on April 8, 2026, targeting youth services across all boroughs including Havering. Young people in Havering will gain access to at least one late-night youth club providing safe spaces after school, evenings, and weekends. These clubs will include activities, mentoring, mental health support, and food under one roof.
As reported by the Havering Daily, the programme marks the biggest investment in youth clubs by any Mayor. It forms part of a strategy to keep Londoners safe by addressing crime’s root causes, complemented by record £1.26 billion in policing and crime prevention. Homicides stand at their lowest per capita level, with youth violence significantly reduced.
What is the Youth Lates Programme?
The ‘Youth Lates’ initiative will deliver high-quality youth clubs in every London community. Sir Sadiq Khan stated, as quoted in the Evening Standard by reporter Anna Highfield,
“We saw the unacceptable scenes in Clapham on two nights last week where groups of young people thought it was acceptable to break the law and spread fear in the local community”.
He added,
“Tougher police enforcement is one part of the solution. We also need to use all the resources at our disposal to ensure that no young Londoner is left behind”.
Khan continued,
“That’s why I’m investing a record £30 million to deliver at least one high-quality late-night youth club in every single London community. It will give young Londoners somewhere safe to go, opportunities to help them fulfil their potential, and give them the support of teams of trusted adults”.
The BBC reports the clubs will offer activities, mental health support, mentorship, and food.
How Does Youth Lates Address Youth Services Cuts?
Margaret Mullane, Dagenham and Rainham MP, told the Havering Daily:
“After years of cuts that hollowed out youth services, this is what Labour in power looks like – investing in our young people and giving them real opportunities to succeed”.
She further said,
“Young people deserve safe spaces, positive role models and the chance to build a better future. That’s exactly what Youth Lates will deliver”.
Mullane added,
“This is what can be achieved when Labour is working together at all levels — from local councils, to City Hall, to the national government — focused on delivering for our communities. At these elections, that’s what’s at stake. A Labour vote in May means more investment, safer streets and more opportunities for young people”.
City Hall notes Government cuts from 2010 to 2024 closed 81 youth centres and led to 800 youth worker losses.
What Links Youth Lates to Crime Prevention Efforts?
The programme builds on the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit, which has delivered more than 550,000 interventions to prevent youth involvement in crime, plus mentoring for over 100,000 young Londoners. Policing data shows 97 homicides in London in 2025, down 11% from 109 in 2024; teenage homicides at joint lowest in nearly three decades.
Knife-enabled crimes totalled 50,430 in the year to September 2025, down 4,229 from prior period; down 7% against baseline.
Recent incidents include a 14-year-old boy, Eghosa Ogbebor, shot in Woolwich last Thursday, with three teens arrested; a 21-year-old stabbed in Primrose Hill Tuesday. The announcement follows Clapham High Street and Common disorder last week.
Susan Hall, City Hall Conservatives leader, told BBC London that youth clubs “do not tackle criminality” and funds should go to police. Sarah Jones, policing minister, said,
“We know this crucial time after school or at weekends is a vital time in ensuring young people have positive things to do and don’t get drawn into crime and anti-social behaviour”.
When Will Youth Lates Clubs Roll Out in Havering?
New youth clubs are set to begin rolling out this year. Funded from £50m in this year’s budget for youth support. The Greater London Authority aims to ensure no young Londoner is left behind.
Background of the Development
The ‘Youth Lates’ programme emerges amid longstanding concerns over youth services in London. Previous investments include over £20.5 million for projects aiding 66,000 young people, such as ‘There is Another Way’ at Harrow Club W10, ‘Girls Empowered Against Crime’ at Knights Youth Centre in Lambeth, and ‘Movement Through Arts’ at Bollo Brook Youth Centre in Ealing. Margaret Mullane, MP since 2024 and former Barking and Dagenham councillor since 2010, has focused on community safety. National context includes Government plans for 50 ‘Young Futures Hubs’ to combat knife crime. Austerity-era closures hollowed services, prompting this Labour-led response post-reelection.
Prediction: Impact on Young People in Havering
This development can provide Havering’s young people with consistent access to structured activities and support, potentially reducing idle time linked to anti-social behaviour.
Integration with existing Violence Reduction Unit efforts may enhance intervention reach, supporting over 100,000 mentees borough-wide. Rollout this year could stabilise service gaps from past cuts, offering mental health and mentoring amid falling violence stats. Local youth may benefit from safe evening spaces, aligning with post-school needs highlighted by ministers. Combined with policing investments, it addresses root causes without displacing enforcement.
