Less than two years after staff fought off potential redundancy at the Peak District National Park Authority’s four visitor centres, they now face a further uphill battle as they claim that at least one centre is earmarked for closure and two others will be manned by volunteers in the future – although the use of volunteers only has been denied by the authority.
Bitter staff, whose jobs were saved along with the centres at Bakewell, Castleton, Edale and Bamford after a mysterious donor came forward, say they are very angry and upset about what’s happening.
A few days ago, the Peak District National Park Authority confirmed it was beginning consultation with a number of staff over restructuring proposals that are being driven by a need to cut costs. It says it is facing ongoing financial pressures due to a fixed government grant that does not take into account inflation and additional pressures such as the recent increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, the rise in the minimum wage, the ending of the government’s rate relief scheme, and some external costs rising by as much as 150%.
Overall, the authority says it has faced a real-terms cut of around 50% over the last ten years. The continual squeeze on funding has happened at the same time as the number of those using the National Park has increased and expectations about what the National Park should be delivering for nature, climate and wellbeing are rising.
It says that the proposed changes include making efficiencies within important functions such as customer services and communications and having to reduce the size and scope of much-cherished work in the areas of community engagement, education and wellbeing.
But one staff member, who did not wish to be named, said: “We understand that the visitor centre at Edale will be closing and the one at Fairholmes will be for cycle hire only. People employed at Bakewell and Castleton – which will both remain open and be known as welcome hubs – will be made redundant and their positions manned by volunteers.
“It seems that the money given by the mystery donor who helped to save our jobs last time is being spent on consultants who are telling the Peak Park how to run things with volunteers and make the changes. It seems all the loyal casual workers are being dumped.”
When the previous redundancy and closure threat came up in 2023, around 65 posts were under threat but it is unclear how many people took voluntary redundancy or left at that stage.
In its most recent statement, the Peak Park authority said: “With the ongoing support of a philanthropic donor, some transformational changes are also being proposed for the authority’s visitor and cycle hire centres to ensure their long-term viability.”
Chief executive Phil Mulligan said: “We are facing a very challenging financial landscape. The proposals we are having to consider are extremely difficult and upsetting for everyone. We are looking at potentially cutting or reducing some of our high profile and much valued programmes. None of us want to make these decisions but they cannot be avoided unless there is significantly better news from government on our funding.”
The authority has confirmed the possibility of a number of redundancies, which it is seeking to mitigate through the consideration of voluntary redundancies across the organisation. It is expected that the restructure will be concluded ahead of authority members needing to agree next year’s budget at their meeting on March 21.
A Peak District National Park Authority spokesperson said: “Recommendations made within a recent, independent and external analysis of our business operations include the potential closure of the Edale visitor centre and facilities at Upper Derwent Valley (Fairholmes) becoming cycle hire only. Castleton and Bakewell visitor centres would remain open as welcome hubs. The specific actions at each individual location are yet to be confirmed, including as part of the current restructure and consultation process.
“It is not a proposal of the authority to replace staff with, or operate the remaining welcome hubs with, volunteers. There are, however, plans to grow our volunteering offer so that we can deploy Welcome Volunteers to a range of busy locations around the National Park, which would include visitor centres and cycle hire centres but also to other locations, so that we can engage more visitors with important messages and information about the National Park.”