Worcestershire County Council is under financial pressure as it receives a Formula Grant from Central Government that is £26 per head below the average level for comparable shire counties. If it received an average level grant it would receive an extra £15mm, making any cuts unnecessary.
Harriett Baldwin said, "I welcome the fact that the Malvern Hills Outdoor Education Centre is going to remain open and additional money invested. This is thanks in some part to persistent behind-the-scenes lobbying from myself and Sir Michael Spicer. It was our priority as it is in the West Worcestershire constituency.
In the case of the Llanrug centre in Snowdonia, many Worcestershire children have benefited from a trip there. Five commercial organisations did approach the County Council about the Outdoor Education Centres, but the County Council report states that "the commercial viability of the five alternative delivery proposals have yet to be tested". There must be a whole range of organisations, including those dealing with drug addicts or young offenders, as well as many inner city youth clubs that would benefit greatly from a trip to Llanrug. I appeal to any of these organisations to come forward with an offer that the County Council can seriously consider to be commercially viable. This could allow Llanrug to stay open, eliminate its need for subsidy from the County Council and allow Worcestershire schools and others to remain paying customers of the facilities. The trained staff are already in place."