Three leisure centres face axe amid £46m council budget cuts

At a meeting tomorrow, members of Barnsley Council’s cabinet committee will decide whether or not to approve a request from Barnsley Premier Leisure to close three of its leisure centres in Penistone, Athersley and Wombwell.

Barnsley Premier Leisure – which operates the facilities on behalf of the council – has recently finalised a new business plan which involves permanently closing Athersley Leisure Centre, Penistone Leisure Centre and Wombwell Swimming Pool from Tuesday, May 31 as they are “no longer viable to operate”.

The plans have already met with objections from locals, with more than 2,000 people already signing a petition in a bid to save the Victorian pool in Wombwell from the axe.

Coun Tim Cheetham, Barnsley Council’s spokesman for development, environment and culture, said: “Any decision to close a leisure facility is never taken lightly.

“Sadly, given the UK’s well-publicised financial climate and the immense pressures on the budgets of councils and charitable organisations such as Barnsley Premier Leisure, such difficult decisions become unavoidable.”

Athersley Leisure Centre, which opened in 1984 with a projected 10-year lifespan, is already closed to the public on health and safety grounds.

A spokesman for Barnsley Council said that the authority had “worked hard to keep the facility operational for the last 27 years”.

They added: “Through consultation, Barnsley Premier Leisure has encouraged customers of Athersley Leisure Centre to use the new sports facilities available to the public at Carlton Advanced Learning Centre.

“With regards to Penistone Leisure Centre, daytime use during weekdays has been consistently low for some time, resulting in reduced opening hours to reduce operating costs.

“Despite this, Barnsley Premier Leisure were still operating at a significant financial loss.

“In addition, there is an increasing building maintenance liability of more than £270,000 at this facility.

“This is a conservative estimate – these costs are to maintain the facilities in their current state of repair and do not take into account any further work that may be identified during the next few years.

“Barnsley Premier Leisure has encouraged customers of Penistone leisure centre to use the new sports facilities available to the public at Penistone Advanced Learning Centre.”

The council spokesman said it would also prove too expensive to continue running the swimming baths in Wombwell and that the closure of the three proposed leisure centres would save £1.5m over five years.

In 2011 alone, Barnsley Council is seeking to save £12m.

It is also thought that closing the three leisure centres would lead to the loss of 44 jobs.

The spokesman said: “Despite the historic nature of Wombwell Swimming Pool and people’s emotional links with this facility, the pressure on budgets in the current financial climate means it is no longer economically viable to continue funding this facility.

“It would cost over £700,000 within the next five years to maintain it at current levels.

“In addition, this figure assumes no further deterioration and does not incorporate the need to improve the building to bring it up to a modern standard, such as the necessity to be Disability Discrimination Act compliant.

“Customers of Wombwell Swimming Pool are being encouraged to use the pools at Barnsley Premier Leisure-managed sport and leisure facilities at Hoyland Leisure Centre and Dearneside Leisure Centre.”

Wombwell Swimming Pool has recently added a gym, and is currently used by up to seven schools for swimming lessons.

Around 300 people are members of its swimming club and a similar number use the new gym.

Speaking outside a community meeting over the closure last month, regular user Barbara Emson said people were “devastated” to be told the pool was under threat.

Mrs Emson, who lives in Wombwell, organised a petition which attracted more than 2,000 signatures and also held a meeting with top council and leisure managers.

She said: “We just feel that we can’t let it rest and we had to voice people’s feelings and opinions about what is going to happen.”