Gazette wins a
victory as council climbs down on leisure centre closures
Gazette & Herald
www.gazetteandherald.co.uk
1st December 2006
The Gazette and Herald has been actively campaigning
to save three leisure centres in North Wiltshire
looks to
have
won
a victory
after
they were last night given a temporary reprieve. They will
stay open until March next year.
North Wiltshire District Council, which had threatened
to close the White Horse Leisure Centre in Calne, Cricklade
Leisure Centre and Lime Kiln Leisure Centre in Wootton
Bassett, has promised to keep them open before handing
them over to the community.
At a meeting yesterday the
board of North Wiltshire Leisure Ltd, the company set
up by the council to run the centres,
agreed to cease managing the centres on March 31 and,
subject to a staff consultation, pass them on to independent
groups.
The decision offers fresh hope to community leaders and
sports club heads who are drawing up plans to run the centres
independently for the benefit of the people in the towns.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening the chairman
of NWLL, Michael Buckley, said: "On Friday of last
week, we made a commitment to announce a proposed programme
of closures for the leisure facilities at Calne, Cricklade
and Wootton Bassett by December 1.
After further discussions with North Wiltshire District
Council, the board of NWLL passed a resolution this morning
that, subject to staff consultation, NWLL will cease to
manage the centres at Calne, Cricklade and Wootton Bassett
on March 31, 2007. They will stay open until that point.
A 90 day consultation period with staff will commence on
December
13, 2006. We hope that this period of stability will
afford interested parties an opportunity to explore options
for
any proposed plans they might have for continued service
delivery at these centres.
"Interested parties should note that information
packs regarding these centres that will cover management
reports, financial information, buildings' condition surveys
and other information will be available from the offices
of NWDC at the end of next week."
It is hoped Wiltshire County Council will help to do a
deal in Calne and Wootton Bassett to keep the centres open,
while Cricklade hopes to set up a community trust to keep
its centre operating.
Centre manager Ron Jones said: "We have been working
on a budget and we think we can sort something out. We
are all very grateful for the support the Gazette has given
us."
The Gazette's campaign backed by Cricklade, Wootton Bassett
and Calne town Councils as well as leisure centre staff,
called on the council to keep the centres open until new
partners to run them could be found.
Yesterday the Gazette revealed that closing the centres
would cost £40,000 a month in maintainence fees to
keep them in a usable condition. Gazette editor Gary Lawrence
said: "I am pleased
the council has seen sense and listened to the people of
North Wiltshire. They have obviously been galvanised into
doing something by the strength of feeling shown across
the area. I am just amazed councillors could not
have sorted this deal out before putting the leisure centre
staff,
their clubs and other users through so much worry over
this last week."
North Wiltshire Leisure Trust chairman Michael Buckley
said: "The three leisure centres will not be mothballed
or closed until March 31. This will give community groups
the chance to put together independent plans to run them.
After that date North Wiltshire Leisure Ltd will cease
to manage the centres."
Your opinion:
What do you think about the planned closures, especially
Lime Kiln Wootton Bassett, as it our local sports facility.
Please support the Gazette's
online petition and air you
concerns on our village forum. click here
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