Concern over children's centre outsourcing plans

The running of the Sycamore Adventure Centre could be outsourced

Managers and parents at a council-run play centre in Upper Gornal have said they are concerned for its future, due to plans to find a new provider.

In February, Dudley Council announced the Sycamore Adventure Centre would stay open, after fears it would close because of budget cuts.

But people who run the centre and the local MP said outsourcing plans put its future back under threat.

The council said bringing in a new provider could mean users of the centre got a better experience than they do now.

The centre opened 15 years ago and works on a donation only basis, with a suggested price of £2 in the week and £4 during school holidays.

Donna Flurry-Haddock, chair of the Sycamore Adventure Charity which currently runs the centre, said: "Lots of people round here have three or four children.

"If you start putting in a cost of like £8 or £9 to come through the door then we're going to forget about the people it was made for in the first place and they won't be able to come anymore."

'Profit before children'

The centre is a registered charity that offers indoor and outdoor facilities as well as events.

Parents have praised the centre for its inclusivity for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Labour MP for Dudley, Sonia Kumar, said: "My worry and concern about this centre is that it's going to be put out for tender and that a private company may put profit before children and that's unacceptable."

The Conservative leader of Dudley Council, Patrick Harley, said: "We have to wait and see when the tendering process is complete, what is on offer.

"We may well be surprised, the MP may be surprised and the users of the centre may be surprised that actually what's on offer is a damn sight better than what we've got now."

A decision on the future of the centre is due in October.