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Dudley's MP has welcomed a deal to secure Sycamore Adventure Centre despite 'best case' option being missed. The centre, in Sycamore Green, Dudley , faced an uncertain future while Dudley Council searched for an organisation to take over the loss-making facility. As she presented a petition to Parliament calling on the government to 'stop the privatisation' of the centre, MP Sonia Kumar said it 'must remain solely controlled by Dudley Council'. Read more: Big savings planned by Midlands council for special needs education Read more: Warning talks to save historic football ground will be slowed by grassroots group The Labour MP however did not get her wish after the authority announced it was to be taken over by Dudley Academies Trust which runs four secondary schools and two primary schools in the borough. Ms Kumar said: "Whilst the best-case scenario was for Sycamore Adventure Centre to continue to be council-run, I am a realist and acknowledge that this new arrangement, ensures stability for the centre and the staff who have worked so hard to make Sycamore Adventure Centre the much-loved community asset it has become." After discussions with Jo Higgins, Chief Executive Officer of Dudley Academies Trust, Ms Kumar says she was given assurances all staff contracts would be honoured, there would be no increase in entrance fees either inside or outside term time and there would be no change in the number of weekly sessions or to access by families, schools or groups. Jo Higgins said: "First and foremost, Dudley Academies Trust is a charitable organisation, funded by the government and shares the values that underpin Sycamore Adventure. "We recognise the importance of protecting and expanding resources for vulnerable groups, including children with special educational needs and disabilities, and will strive to deliver programmes that enrich their lives." Councillor Wayne Little, Dudley cabinet member for children's services, said: "This decision follows a thorough and competitive process, and we are confident that the trust's robust proposal will deliver long-term financial security through a sustainable model that generates surpluses for reinvestment into the centre." Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here Ms Kumar added: "I know we can build on the excellent work already done by the team at Sycamore, continuing the centre's reputation as a place of inspiration, adventure and learning for all." Day in day out, our reporters in the BirminghamLive newsroom bring you stories from across the West Midlands. However, a hell of a lot happens here and it can be difficult to stay on top of it all. That is why we have a suite of newsletters, tailored to your needs. They include Birmingham Politics, Nostalgia, Court and Crime Updates and, of course, BirminghamLive Daily - the biggest stories of the day sent at morning, lunch and evening. There are also local ones like Black Country News, MySolihull and MySuttonColdfield. Choose which newsletters best suit you . You can also get all your favourite content from BirminghamLive on WhatsApp. Click here to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in the region. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the BirminghamLive app. You can get it from Apple here and for Android here . And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@birminghammail.co.uk .
