A COUNTRY park and picnic site in East Lancashire will both be maintained under a major shake-up of services.

But as Wycoller and Spring Wood, near Whalley,are scheduled to survive, the county’s countryside service will be substantially slimmed down under proposals to be discussed next week.

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Wycoller and Spring Wood are being maintained with 13 other spots, alongside Quarry Hill nature reserve in Nelson, Healey Nab and Withnell Fold in Chorley and Brandwood in Stacksteads.

Under the revamped service, the annual spending would be £197,000, which represents a £300,000 saving on the last full countryside service budget, drawn up in 2015-16.

Rangers will no longer patrol the nature havens and the authority will have to rely on volunteers to promote recreational activities.

County Cllr Marcus Johnstone, environment cabinet member, said the proposals were the way forward, to protect natural resources, in the council’s “very difficult financial situation”.

He said: “The proposal is to continue to maintain them, albeit at a minimal level focused towards ensuring that people can still safely access them.

“In practice this means there would be no rangers to help people and run events, however we would continue to support volunteers to manage and inspect the sites.”

The decision will be discussed at an executive scrutiny committee next Tuesday (7).

Fourteen smaller woodlands and 25 tree planting areas, the vast majority in East Lancashire or Chorley, will potentially be sold off.

Several sites which form part of the Active Travel Network, primarily old railway lines like Accrington to Baxenden and Helmshore, is set to be transferred to the county’s highways services.

Each of these are recognised as important cycling and walking routes, linking key places locally.

Another nine sites in Hyndburn, including land around Whinney Hill and Abbott Clough Woods, could be transferred to a charity, subject to negotiations.

And Rossendale Council has expressed an interest in Lee Quarry’s mountain bike trails, near Bacup.

County Cllr Paul White, who was behind a 1,000-name petition expressing concern about Wycoller, has welcomed the announcement.

He said: “It is clear that the county council has listened to us and our petition.

“It is good to know that the gates will not be closed on Wycoller, even if there will be a reduced provision there in future.

“This also gives us the opportunity to step back and see how we can provide the extra services which are necessary for the future success of Wycoller.””