HOPE has been restored that two outdoor centres could be saved from closure and run by a community group after protestors delivered the largest ever petition received by Wiltshire Council.

The future for Braeside, in Devizes and Oxenwood, near Marlborough, has been plunged into uncertainly since March when their shock closure was announced. Now the council has pledged to make its ‘best effort’ to ensure the two sites will remain in use for outdoor education, but under new owners.

It is hoped a new group could could be chosen to run the sites from six individual parties that submitted draft business plans on Monday (May 21) .

Impassioned pleas came from parents, centre staff and political groups for the council to regain the public’s trust by protecting the sites from being closed outright.

Cllr Laura Mayes, cabinet member for Children, Education and Skills for Wiltshire Council said: “This has been the hardest decision for me to make since joining the council. We have now had a number of interested parties who could make alternative providers.

“We will do our best. We have had interested parties that made good cases and we will look at them as well as we can.”

Speaking at a full council meeting in Trowbridge this morning, creator of the 16,000 signature strong petition Lucy Gomes, said: “It is a chance for Wiltshire Council to redeem themselves and to regain our trust. Councillors need to act individually and demonstrate they care about their children in our community.”

The council unanimously agreed the cabinet should consider the social impact as well as the financial impact of any proposal to take over the sites.

The council originally cited high restoration costs and low attendance figures for reasons behind the closure.

These figures were challenged by campaigner Amanda Humphreys who said around half of £1.1m worth of improvements needed had already been completed at a lower cost. She argued the sites could be run more efficiently than they are currently, with £50k spent on maintaining five computers and a wifi connection each year at the site.

However speaking at the full council meeting, Cllr Matthew Dean warned that the move would be complex should it be taken over by a community group.

Cllr Dean: “I don’t want to give anyone false hope. It is difficult to run and we know these sites require huge investment.

“There will be huge challenges if a community interest group are going to run the sites.”

Baroness Jane Scott said: “The sites are not a statutory duty to council, many of our schools are going elsewhere and therefore we had to make the decision not to close but to talk to people about taking them over. Nobody wanted to do that so we made the decision they would have to close. I am happy Laura Mayes has decided to hold and look at the ideas.”

Cllr Ian Thorn said the council had a moral duty to listen to the public.

Cllr Jon Hubbard added: “I beg the cabinet to find an alternative solution to maintain the outdoor provision, whether that is by community asset transfer, rent or long term lease."

Cabinet will decide on the future of the sites at their next meeting on June 12.