Blue Peris Mountain Centre Update.
This initiative was driven by direct requests from IOL members, in collaboration with the Association for Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Outdoor Learning.There was an update on Friday that four Councillors opposed the decision to close Blue Peris Mountain Centre, granting a reprieve for further review.
The four key questions raised by Councillors were:
- The financial figures used in the report don’t match the council’s accounts, and some estimates are either wrong or missing entirely
- Other options haven’t been fully explored, and some claims in the report aren’t backed up with evidence
- The report doesn’t mention how much it might cost to make staff redundant or the possible damage to the council’s reputation
- At a time when the council is under pressure to bring in more money and cut spending, the Blue/White Peris sites could be an income generator, and closing them might be a missed opportunity
The decision is now expected to be reviewed by the Bedford Borough Council’s Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on September 25, 2025.
The IOL and the AHOEC Exec will be working with others from our sector to offer support in this review. Thank you to everyone who gave their support despite the limited time to respond.
Jo Barnett CEO, Institute for Outdoor Learning
