Staylittle outdoor centre in Llanidloes to close in 2018

An outdoor recreation centre will close early next year, Powys council has confirmed.

Staylittle Outdoor Centre, near Llanidloes, is the council's only outdoor education centre.

It has been managed by Freedom Leisure since July 2015, but will close before April 2018 to generate annual savings of more than £130,000.

Cabinet member for leisure, Rachel Powell, said the council investigated a number of options to keep it open.

The centre has five full-time and 15 part-time members of staff, as well as freelance instructors employed on a seasonal basis.

"Regrettably, there were no viable options that the cabinet could support and a decision was made to close the facility at the end of the financial year," Ms Powell said.

"The building will be mothballed, giving the council the opportunity to consider future possible uses."

A petition to keep it open, that will be delivered to Powys council leader Rosemarie Harris, has gathered almost 5,000 signatures and the creator of the petition has urged the council to "review their decision".

"Why take this resource away from children? £130,000 is peanuts," said Maggie Fitzpatrick-Reeves.

"It's nothing compared to what the kids gain from it. It makes no sense.

"I've had people responding to the petition saying that their child bust into tears when they heard what was going to happen. People here feel very strongly about it."