OUTDOOR education centres and the Cornwall Education Music Hub will no longer be run by Cornwall Council as the local authority takes a scalpel to non-statutory services.
Cornwall Outdoors facilities at Delaware, Porthpean, Carnyorth, and at Pelistry on the Isles of Scilly provide opportunities for camping, watersports, and adventure activities for schools and youth groups.
The centres could close unless alternative providers are found: a consultation into the future of the services has now begun and will run until January 9.
Cornwall Council says that like other local authorities, it’s facing huge financial challenges as a result of the ongoing pandemic and increased demand for adult social care services.
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Portfolio holder for Children and Families, councillor Barbara Ellenbroek, said: “The council’s financial circumstances call upon us to make some really difficult decisions.
“I understand how concerning this announcement will be for service users, but the simple truth is the cost of running all four Cornwall Outdoors centres is now greater than anyone could have predicted.
“There is no statutory obligation for the council to provide outdoor learning, and so the consultation will engage with schools, residents, stakeholders and other organisations to find alternative delivery models and new providers. I am confident those providers can be found, and that where possible outdoor learning in Cornwall can be maintained for future generations.”
Following the consultation, the Council says all responses will be considered, and a report will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet in February 2022 to “help inform an alternative solution that where possible will maintain and maximise the offer of outdoor learning for children and young people across Cornwall”.
You can take part in the consultation by filling in a short questionnaire at www.letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk. The final date for submissions is midnight, January 9.
Meanwhile, Cornwall Council has announced it is also searching for an alternative provider for the Cornwall Education Music Hub (CEMH), which provides music activities for schools and young people, both in and out of school, around the county.
The CEMH is supported through Arts Council England (ACE) and the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). Cornwall Council says that with finances under enormous pressure, it is unable to continue maintaining the CEMH in its current format.
The council says it is now working with Arts Council England to identify a suitable provider to take on delivery of the Hub.
Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Children and Families, Barbara Ellenbroek, said: “The Hub is an important part of our learning provision, helping inspire pupils to develop their talents and foster a love of music.
“We are not closing the Hub down, but our finances are stretched, and we are facing some tough choices. That is why we have taken the decision to work with Arts Council England to identify a new provider so that access to music and musical instruments will continue to be universally available for children and young people in Cornwall.”