Is the benefits system locking people into poverty? This is the controversial argument of a book from Roundhouse Founder Torquil Norman. Entitled Kick the Tyres, Light the Fires it first appeared last year and has just been released in paperback.

Norman's career makes for fascinating reading in itself - and we'll have more in a full interview on this blog soon. After leaving school he became a fighter pilot as part of national service before  working in investment banking. However, it was in the toy industry where he made his money when his company struck gold with Polly Pocket. Its success allowed him to buy the Roundhouse in Camden and transform it from a  ruined shell into the famous entertainment venue it is today.

However what sets the Roundhouse apart is how it works with young people - often from disadvantaged backgrounds - who sit at the heart of operations. They have learned creative skills and been closely involved in the running of the project. It's an experience that has opened his eyes to the potential of what some people have termed 'the feral youth'.

"I see kids in the Roundhouse from terrible backgrounds, but they're full of confidence and are really tremendous kids," he says. "We've worked with around 25,000 young people and I can honestly say there hasn't been a single one I haven't liked. We need to be seeing these young people as a resource."

It is this experience which  has helped shape  the book. Throughout you can sense a deep frustration with a disjointed system which seems to be trapping increasing numbers of people in poverty.

"It all goes back in a way to the benefit system because it is paying young people and others not to work," he says. "There was a guy in congress who said 'if you pay people not to work you're likely to get more non workers'."

According to Norman the benefits system as it stands, which sees some people losing money if they choose to work is actively  excluding a large proportion of the population from the world of work.

"I believe that although lots of people are working to improve the benefit system and encourage more incentive to work. There is currently a huge disincentive to work - if you're on benefits and when you work you start to lose money then nobody gets out of bed. Why should they?"

According to Norman, many of the current schemes proposed by government are failing to address the situation.

"I believe projects like the National Citizens Scheme are misconceived . What people like is doing work and being paid and having money," he says. "It's all very well giving encouraging them to work, but unless you give them a job where they earn money and can live at home, then its not much good. There's no point in having a job if you're untrained for it, it's miles away."

Instead, Norman would like to see what he calls Community National Service. "I believe this very strongly and think the government ought to be looking at it," he explains. "Community national service is important because it gives everyone of a certain age between 16 and 24 a job which they're trained to do - many of them are simple jobs, but when you've been on benefits what you need is a simple job."

There will be many who disagree with Norman's arguments and at times the book does seem to skim lightly over the top of the issues. It would have been nice at times to see him delve more deeply. However, this is a book which offers solutions rather than just criticism - and that in itself makes this an intriguing addition to the debate.