Dales activity centres ‘run at loss of £150,000’ (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Outdoor school facilities ‘are suffering a lack of investment’

10:10am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Local By James Rush

Two outdoor education centres run by Bradford Council are running at a loss and expected to end the financial year £149,000 in deficit, a report claims.

Residential bookings at Ingleborough Hall and Buckden House in the Yorkshire Dales are below capacity and both centres are in need of refurbishment, the report on outdoor learning provision in the district says.

A recent review of the authority’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 at the two centres during the ten years Education Bradford was responsible for managing them.

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 just 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, whose combined deficit is projected to be £18,000 over budget.

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 around £1 million to carry out necessary improvements.