Harriett Baldwin said, "Sir Michael Spicer and I have been working with the staff at the Outdoor Centre in Malvern and with the County Councillors most involved to look at ways to help the centre become viable without the £300,000 per year subsidy from Worcestershire County Council. It is a great facility valued by local families including my own and we all want to find a way to keep it going. I was greatly encouraged to hear an update from Councillors Adrian Hardman and Liz Eyre as we approach crucial meetings as there seems to have been good progress with several options under discussion, all of which might keep the centre open."
Cllr Adrian Hardman said, "It is a very difficult year for the budget at county level, but we hear the message clearly from Sir Michael Spicer and from Harriett Baldwin that the residents of Malvern value the centre highly and we want to evaluate all the options on the table and I am reasonably optimistic a solution can be found".
Cllr Liz Eyre said, "There are many demands on the budget for Children's services in Worcestershire and I am very concerned that we find a way to eliminate the loss that Malvern Hills Outdoor Education Centre makes each year so that more money is available for other vital children's services like foster care. I am hoping that the plans that will be brought forward may allow us to meet our goal of saving County taxpayers from paying this subsidy, while keeping open a valued facility."
Photo: Harriett Baldwin meets County Councillors Adrian Hardman and Liz Eyre to discuss ways to save the Malvern Hills Outdoor Education Centre.