* Sites such as Beacon Fell, Wycoller and Spring Wood are
heavily used throughout the year by walkers, schools, families
providing recreation and education;
* Schools and youth groups use these sites to teach students skills
such as map reading, the beauties and importance of wildlife and
bio-diversity;
* These sites help provide opportunities for people to exercise in
the fresh air thus making a positive impact on the health of the
residents of Lancashire;
* The Countryside Service operates all terrain battery powered
Trampers helping disabled people and their families access the
countryside. Losing the service could mean we lose this marvellous
well used facility;
* If we lose the Countryside Service, beautiful sites such as
Wycoller, Beacon Fell and Spring Wood may not be looked after and
may deteriorate spoiling their potential for recreation, health and
education.
If we lose the Countryside Service we lose so much; please sign our
petition to save the marvellous facilities of sites such as Spring
Wood, Beacon Fell and Wycoller so we can all enjoy and gain benefit
from them .
Thank you!
This ePetition ran from 11/04/2016 to 23/05/2016 and has now finished.
4115 people signed this ePetition.
Thank you for your combined e-petition and paper petition - Save
the Lancashire Countryside service from closure.
Lancashire County Council continues to face an unprecedented
financial challenge. Over the next five years to 2020/21, the
County Council needs to make savings of £262m, on top of
those agreed within previous budget processes.
This extremely difficult financial picture is the result of
continued reductions in funding by central government, rising costs
and rising demand for key services. Based on current spending and
forecast demand for services, the County Council will not have
sufficient financial resources to meet its statutory obligations by
April 2018, even if we no longer continue to deliver any of the
non-statutory services.
The provision and maintenance of countryside sites is not a
statutory requirement. It is therefore proposed that Lancashire
County Council ceases to provide this service in April 2018. Where
public rights of way exist across LCC countryside sites, these will
of course continue to be maintained in relation to the County
Council's duties.
We are looking for new ways to manage the countryside estate and
are working with partners, other organisations and local people, to
explore a range of options, to ensure that the key sites will
continue to be available and well looked after for
visitors