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16
Feb 2021
Councillors vote to review future of Bewerley Park
Councillors sought to reassure the public over the future of Bewerley Park outdoor learning centre as they voted to support a review of its services today.
North Yorkshire County Council's executive this afternoon amended a proposal to mothball the site near Pateley Bridge with immediate effect, saying it sent a negative message.
Instead, the executive agreed to "protect" the site by installing CCTV and other measures to keep it safe while out of use, following a break-in while it was closed.
However, with no sign of school visits resuming and likely limits to reduce the covid risk in future, the council said it still had to review the service and staffing levels, and bring back a business case for approval later in the year.
Cllr Patrick Mulligan, NYCC's executive member for education and skills, said:
Before voting, the executive heard from several speakers concerned about a recommendation to review the service and consult on its jobs. Among them were teachers and former pupils who had been to Bewerley Park and East Barnby, who emphasised the value offered by outdoor education and the growing need for it after a year of lockdowns impacting on children's mental health.
Teacher Ian Bloor, from Eskdale School in Whitby, described the outdoor learning centres as the "jewel in the crown" of North Yorkshire education and said:
The meeting also heard from Cllr Stan Lumley, who represents the Pateley Bridge division on NYCC. He urged committee members not to rush into a decision while government support was still available, and with looming local government reorganisation which meant it was not yet clear who would be managing education services from next year.
Finally, Erica Carswell, the manager of Bewerley Park for more than 30 years until 2018, said closing the sites would mean losing the valuable skills and experience of the 42 staff.
It would also remove the option to use them for day visits or respite care for families with special needs in the summer and would discourage schools from booking residential visits for the coming months when covid restrictions would allow. She added:
Read more:
- Thousands sign petition against Bewerley Park closure
- Future of Bewerley Park outdoor centre under threat
Cllr Mulligan told the committee the centres were not set up for day visits and any income would not be sufficient to cover costs, nor to invest in the buildings and facilities which had been needed for many years. He added:
The committee heard that, with a projected loss of nearly £1 million in the current financial year, the council had been able to recoup money from government schemes to protect jobs and services, reducing the loss to just over £200,000. However, there was no guarantee the schemes would continue to run beyond their current end dates of March and June.
The outdoor education service had run at a loss of around £50,000 per year for the last five years before the coronavirus crisis, the committee was told.
Cllr Michael Harrison, who represents the Lower Nidderdale and Bishop Monkton division, said the value of the service had to be taken into account as part of the review of its finances:
Councillors voted unanimously to support the proposal to introduce short-term protective measures for both Bewerley Park and East Barnby, to review the services and report back later in the year, and to begin consulting with staff over the potential loss of jobs.
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