Future of outdoor centre to be debated

Anyone who wishes to make representations have been told they must register first and will be given a maximum of three minutes in which to make their views clear to members.

Losehill Hall, near Castleton, is owned by the authority, but plans to end services at the centre which were announced earlier this year sparked an outcry among several educational and environmental groups.

Cuts are said to be needed at the centre in order to meet a requirement for budget savings of up to 30 per cent, as imposed during the Government's recent Comprehensive Spending Review.

At the meeting on December 17, members of the authority will hear from interested parties before going into closed session to discuss a number of tenders which have been entered to run the hall.

Four organisations have shown an interest and the authority said all of those are charitable organisations with varying focuses on young people and environmental education.

A national park spokesman said: "People have already expressed their views about Losehill Hall through a range of opportunities.

"An online questionnaire attracted more than 300 responses, a drop-in session was attended by more than 30 people and 85 emails and letters have been received.

"Many also spoke at an authority meeting in September, when it took the decision to discontinue services at Losehill Hall.

"The authority intends to focus a reduced national park learning team on target audiences of young people, and seek partners or purchasers for the hall.

"With Government budget cuts forecast at 20 to 30 per cent, the authority is faced with finding savings of 1m to 1.9m over four years.

Closure of Losehill Hall, which the authority has run for over 40 years, could save an estimated 250,000 a year in running costs."

Both the Sheffield and Derbyshire branches of the Green Party have led calls for the authority to retain control of Losehill Hall, criticising the Government over the budget cuts.

A party spokesman said: "Closing the hall will represent a blow to the local economy.

"It has been estimated by Derby University that Losehill Hall is worth 2m to the local economy.

"Local traders will be out of pocket as their supply contracts are cancelled.

"The spending power of the many visitors that it attracts is unlikely to be replaced, and jobs will be lost.

"To a London-based Cabinet of millionaires, that may seem small change, but to rural Derbyshire, it is a lot of money."

Losehill Hall currently has 28 full-time equivalent posts and also employs 45 casual workers.