Demolition plan ‘twists knife’ on sport venue

Members of Sheffield Council’s Labour cabinet have agreed to continue negotiations over Stocksbridge leisure centre, and said they were “committed” to helping keep it open.

But yesterday the authority’s Liberal Democrat group, supporting a group called 4SLC (For Stocksbridge leisure Centre) said details “hidden away” in council papers revealed the real strategy.

Stocksbridge is 10 miles north of Sheffield city centre, and people who live in the community claim the centre is essential for people who want to take part in sports such as swimming.

But Sheffield Council said the £400,000 a year public subsidy required to run the venue was “not sustainable” and announced its closure at the same time as the city’s Don Valley Stadium.

Since then, the community has been drawing up a business plan in a bid to run the centre itself, something which Sheffield Council said it would consider at a cabinet meeting today.

Alison Brelsford, a Lib Dem councillor for Stocksbridge, said people were angry at how they had been treated by the council, and said the demolition plan was “twisting the knife”.

She added: “Labour councillors may claim talks are on-going but they are twisting the knife in their betrayal of Stocksbridge residents.

“Last year, Labour claimed the centre would not close but that turned out to be nothing more than political propaganda.

“It’s clear that Labour have no interest in saving the centre – as their plan for demolition shows. It’s about time they showed some respect to Stocksbridge and were honest with local people.”

Labour’s leisure spokesman Isobel Bowler has repeatedly pointed out the unsustainable cost of the centre, but said she was prepared to listen to alternative plans.