Shropshire Hills Centre must save £100,000

Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre in Craven Arms needs to find savings of almost £100,000 over the next two years, it has been revealed.

Staff at the centre must cut £40,000 in 2012/13 and £45,000 in 2013/14 according to budgetary restrictions set by Shropshire Council, which owns the venue. Ideas include cutting opening hours, reducing staff on reception and in the cafe, reviewing fees and charges and 'assessing the staffing structure'.

Evening opening hours have already been reduced.

Craven Arms Homework Club, an after-school club run at the centre during term-time, could also fold by March next year unless fresh funding can be found for it.

The savings have been identified as part of multi-million pound savings set by Shropshire Council chiefs in the wake of the current economic crisis.

A report to Shropshire Council's Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre Advisory Board, which will meet on Monday, says loans in the venue's library were down six per cent this year due to significantly lower use in May and June.

It adds overall revenue is down with spending in the shop and cafe both down on last year, despite a 21 per cent increase in children participating in paid educational activities.

In the report Zoe Griffin, centre manager, says: "We are currently working to identify how these savings could be achieved.

"A budget reduction in April has already resulted in the homework club sessions being reduced from three to two sessions a week and term-time only.

"It is now likely that Extended Services, which currently funds the homework club, will cease at the end of March 2012.

"With this in mind the Library Service is currently negotiating with Shropshire Council to agree further base funding, which could then be used as match funding for top up funding applications.

"If this rescue plan is not successful Craven Arms Homework Club will close at the end of March 2012."

By Peter Kitchen