Closure an option in review of loss-making Black Country activity centres
Dudley Council has ordered a review of two activity centres for children which are both losing money.
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The borough’s deputy leader, Councillor Paul Bradley, has given the go-ahead for external consultants to investigate Astley Burf Outdoor Activity Centre and Sycamore Green Adventure Centre.
Challenge Kit Ltd will look at options including outsourcing services to improve financial sustainability 'as soon as possible' however closure has not been ruled out if a solution cannot be found.
Astley Burf in Stourport-on-Severn was gifted to the authority in 1938 as a school camp with facilities for 60 children and accommodation includes a cabin for disabled children.
The budget for 2024/25 for Astley Burf is £82,000 but in the last financial year loss of income caused an overspend of £22,000.
Sycamore Green in Upper Gornal operates as a registered charity and is on the same site as a pupil referral unit, Sycamore Short Stay School, which is a separate facility and currently undergoing its own review.
The adventure centre offers services including toddler stay and play, go-karts, family play and inclusive play for children with disabilities.
The centre’s budget for 2024/25 is £48,000 but in the last financial year, it recorded an overspend of £49,000 due to reduced income.
The council has decided to spend £10,000 on the review after an initial investigation identified opportunities to increase profits at both sites.
Challenge Kit is an award-winning company that is part of the organisation running the adventure facility at Baggeridge Country Park.
The initial report says there are opportunities to combine staffing and administrative, training and marketing services for the two sites as well as adding more facilities and increasing the variety of programmes on offer.
Notes attached to the council’s decision sheet authorising the review said: “Everyone involved in running both centres have worked hard over recent years to ensure that the centres continue to operate for the benefit of the children of the borough of Dudley.
“This task gets more difficult and nothing in the immediate future shows the job getting easier. This is a common outlook for many similar facilities.
“There is little to no risk in bringing in experts in the field to review operations but a significant risk in not exploring all available options that sees the facilities remain open and available to users.”
