Closures slammed

10:36am Tuesday 19th December 2006

A GOVERNMENT minister has slammed plans to close leisure centres in North Wiltshire.

Culture Minister David Lammy told the House of Commons that the health of young people would suffer if centres closed in Cricklade, Wootton Bassett and Calne.

But Coun Sylvia Doubell, deputy leader of North Wiltshire District Council, insisted the decision was not easily reached.

Speaking recently, Mr Lammy, MP for Tottenham, said that 82 per cent of pupils in the North Wiltshire area were doing two hours high quality exercise a week, which was two per cent above the national average.

He said: "It is hard to see how the figures could be maintained if the current plans go ahead as intended."

Mr Lammy said that the healthy picture had been supported by significant public investment, including a £4m grant from Sport England.

He said: "A further £2m was allocated to Wiltshire local education authority for community sports facilities.

"Those achievements make the unexpected closure of facilities all the more disappointing.

"I sympathise wholeheartedly with the local community, which is rightly asking tough questions about the way the facilities have been managed."

During the debate, last Wednesday, North Wiltshire MP James Gray said that residents had been stunned by the news.

He said: "The people of the three towns were outraged by the speed of the decision and the fact that there was no consultation and no alternative plan was put in place."

North Swindon MP Michael Wills was also present at the debate, where alternative private sector solutions were proposed.

The leisure centres are currently run by an independent company, North Wilts Leisure (NWL), but North Wiltshire District Council, which owns the buildings, is planning to shut them down on March 31.

Coun Doubell (Lib Dem, Chippenham Pewsham) said that the decision was not the responsibility of the district council.

She said: "There seems to be some confusion here, because the sums that Mr Lammy is talking about were paid to the county council.

"We didn't take the decision to close the centres, it was taken by North Wilts Leisure Ltd because it was the only way they could see to stop losing money.

"The council could not afford to subsidise the leisure company by £500,000 or £1m. Doing that would jeopardise the district council's frontline services."

Coun Doubell said the hardship in Wiltshire was being reflected around the UK.

She said: "This is not a political issue because councils all over the country are making these difficult decisions.

"You have to consider that we have six leisure centres in a very small authority, and we have a surplus of water leisure provision."