91�ȱ�

More than 250 jobs are at risk at Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as the government environment agency tries to reduce its staff budget by £13m.

It said three visitor centres may close as it focuses on making sure activities that impact nature, climate, and minimising pollution are prioritised.

A 45-day staff and unions consultation is underway and NRW said it would try to reduce redundancies.

An NRW spokesperson said: "The aim is to mitigate job losses as much as possible".

NRW sent an email to staff on Wednesday telling them of the plan to reduce the staff budget by 1 April 2025.

Visitor centre Coed y Brenin near Dolgellau, Gwynedd and Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas centres, near Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, will close at the end of March 2025 if the changes are made.

The organisation said that "this has put all staff at all VCs (visitor centres) at risk of redundancy from today, subject to the future outcome of the consultation. Trails, access, carparks, and toilets would all continue on site."

It said a "meaningful consultation" was under way with trade unions but the proposal would remove 265 posts.

"The purpose is to refocus resources on the activities that will have the most impact on nature, climate, and minimising pollution, as well as the statutory work that only NRW can do," it said.

"The aim is to mitigate job losses as much as possible. Some of these changes, if implemented, will impact our partners, customers, and stakeholders."

A community group, Caru Coed y Brenin, whose members hope to be given the chance to run the mountain bike visitor centre at Coed y Brenin, will meet NRW officials on Friday, but it seems unlikely any firm decision or commitment about the future of the site will be made then.

NRW chief executive Clare Pillman said: "Public funding is exceptionally tight across the whole of the UK."

"We are having to look across all of our remit and critically review what we can and must continue to do, what we stop, and what we slow or do differently."