Craven outdoor centres under threat (From Craven Herald)

Craven outdoor centres under threat

4:20pm Saturday 11th February 2012 in Skipton & District

Two Craven outdoor education centres are under threat after running at a loss.

Ingleborough Hall, at Clapham, and Buckden House, Buckden, are run by Bradford Council and are expected to end the financial year £149,000 in deficit, a report into outdoor learning provision in the district says.

And one of the options being considered is putting the centres up for sale.

The report says residential bookings are below capacity and the centres are in need of refurbishment.

A recent review of Bradford Council’s outdoor education centres found some schools and groups had been put off by “dated” facilities such as communal shower blocks and no significant investment had been made during the ten years Education Bradford was responsible for managing the centres.

But Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member for children and young people’s services, said: “We have got what I believe are very good plans to make much better use of these facilities. I believe if we can push the usage levels up steadily, there’s a sound economic case for retaining and developing them.

“We do need a bit of investment.

“I’m going out to have a look at them, but it’s also about making the activities more relevant to the modern curriculum, making it more tailor-made to what schools are looking for. These facilities are treasured and they need to be more widely used by schools.”

A survey sent to schools in the district in October last year found two-thirds used outdoor education centres, with Nell Bank in Ilkley proving to be a more popular choice than Buckden or Ingleborough due to its superior residential facilities.

The report, which went before the Council’s children’s services overview and scrutiny committee this week, suggests several options for the centres.

They include putting the centres up for sale, selling one and using the capital to improve other outdoor learning facilities and working with schools to raise about £1 million to carry out necessary improvements.