Hundreds sign petition to save children's centre

Ingleborough Hall in the Yorkshire Dales hosts more than 80 school trips a year

Nearly 2,000 people have so far signed a petition calling for a children's activity centre in the Yorkshire Dales to be saved from closure.

Bradford Council-run Ingleborough Hall, in Clapham, hosts trips from at least 80 schools a year, offering activities such as caving, archery and abseiling.

However, the authority has proposed selling off the site as part of a £40m cost-cutting drive.

Leading calls for a rethink, former headteacher Julia Britton said the benefits of visiting Ingleborough Hall "far outweigh the investment required".

Ms Britton, who said she had taken children to the centre in North Yorkshire for more than 20 years, added: “The possible closure of this wonderful outdoor centre will come as devastating news to so many people.

"Ingleborough Hall hosts thousands of visitors every year, including youth and religious groups and those with special educational needs and disabilities.

"If an alternative plan can be found, Ingleborough Hall can continue to offer life-changing experiences and life-long memories for current, as well as future, generations of children.”

Bradford Council "must reconsider" its plan, Ms Britton said.

"The benefit of keeping the site open for children and young people across the region and beyond far outweighs the investment required," she added.

'Popular facility'

The petition calling for Ingleborough Hall to be saved from closure received 1,500 signatures in the first 72 hours after it was set up last week, and now has almost 2,000 names.

The campaigners are being supported by the public sector union Unison.

Michael Parkinson, Unison's Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser, said tens of thousands of young people had benefited from the centre over the years.

The council "must look at other options and avoid the closure of the site", he said.

"It’s a popular facility used by schools from across Bradford - and further afield, too.

"Schools from Fife and Cambridgeshire have visited Ingleborough Hall recently, as have more than 50 from across West Yorkshire."

'Really challenged'

Earlier this week, Bradford Council issued another plea to government for emergency support as it tried to avoid effective bankruptcy.

The authority said it faced an £80m black hole in its finances, which was expected to grow to £120m next year.

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: "I sympathise with the comments of the campaigners, but we have been clear that the council’s finances, like many others across the country, are really challenged due to rising social care costs.

"No council wants to have to make cuts like this, but when 87% of the council’s projected spend this year is to be spent on social care for vulnerable children and adults, you can see we don’t have a lot left for other services."

Ms Hinchcliffe urged people to submit feedback on the proposals before a decision was made.

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