In saving Blairvadach from the axe this year the council said it has bought time to secure the future of the outdoor education centre.

Yesterday the Glasgow Times revealed that extra cash from a budget deal would be used to keep the centre open, after it was controversially decided it would close to help meet a £40m plus spending gap.

Chris Cunningham, convenor of education, skills and early years, said that in the coming year there needs to be a new future outlined for the centre, near Helensburgh.

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He said: “Blairvadach needs to be brought up to a better standard and we need to look at new models of delivery to allow us to lever in investment.

“The challenge is not the running cost, which is substantial, the real issue is it needs investment and where that is coming from is the biggest challenge.

“The alternative is we lurch from one year to another.”

Mr Cunningham said the facility has been maintained but to meet modern standards and expectations some serious investment is required to the tune of between £2m to £5m.

He said:“The basic fabric is showing its age. It was built in 1974 and when you see the building it is of its time.

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“The core accommodation for residential is four berth rooms with bunks and all are sharing communal bathroom and toilet facilities. That is a bigger issue today than it was in the 1970s.

“Care Commission guidelines are for single occupancy with en-suite facilities. To convert what is there would reduce the capacity. To retain the existing capacity, we would need to upgrade, build and extend.

“Had it been a school in the city it would have been modernised by now. .

“It has been kept going but we can’t do that forever.

“This year it will function as it is. We need to explore the working model and the finances around that. We need to find partner organisations to bring other money in, there is work to be done there. We are buying time and we need to use that time. The big issue is the future. We are looking to secure the future of Blairvadach.”

He said the wider residential and outdoor experience offered by the council needs to be looked at including use of Pinkston Basin for paddle watersports, and Pollok Park for outdoor activities.

The decision to use additional money to save Blairvadach was welcomed by opposition councillors.

Labour members praised the campaigners who had started a petition to save the centre.

While the Greens welcomed the decision, able to be brought about by a budget deal at Holyrood.

Scottish Greens Co-Leader, Patrick Harvie, a Glasgow MSP, said: “I’m delighted that the budget deal struck by the Scottish Greens MSPs has saved Blairvadach.

“The centre has served the city for 45 years, providing quality outdoor education and developing young people though outdoor and adventurous education.

“Our deal, which delivered an additional £95million for local councils, including over £10.5million for Glasgow, will ensure that important local services can be protected across the country.”

Jon Molyneux, Greens Pollokshields councillor said: “I’m thrilled the budget agreement has secured the immediate future of Blairvadach. The centre has played a pivotal role in the education of thousands of young people for the last four decades and I’m excited about its future with proposals to develop the centre into a climate and ecology education centre in the years ahead.”