Campaigners 'really upset' by sport centre closure

More than 60,000 people live in the Dewsbury area, with the town left with no council-run leisure centre

The closure of a West Yorkshire town's only council-run leisure centre will "detrimentally affect" thousands of people of all ages in the area, campaigners said.

Dewsbury Sports Centre closed in 2023 after the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in its pool building, with Kirklees Council deciding a full refurbishment would cost up to £10m.

More than 60,000 people live in the town, with residents warning the move would impact the health of elderly people and the opportunity for children to learn to swim.

Speaking after the decision to permanently close it, a local authority councillor said the closure had been agreed with a "very heavy heart".

After a heated debate on Tuesday, cabinet members voted in favour of the closure due to the council's current financial situation.

The centre had been making the greatest loss of all the Kirklees Active Leisure-run (KAL) facilities, losing just over £1.1m each year.

Frances Livesey, who has arthritis, joined the Save Our Sports Centre campaign group as she formerly used the facility every day.

"When I can’t exercise, I just stiffen up - I can’t walk, I really struggle," she said.

"I have to bring a walking stick out."

Frances Livesey formerly used the leisure centre every day

Fellow campaigner Surraya Patel warned the decision will impact the health of everyone in the area.

"Every demographic within this community has been detrimentally affected," she said.

"We’ve actually been contacted by doctors surgeries to say they are seeing patients now that they haven’t seen for years."

She continued: "We’re talking about elderly patients with arthritis because they cannot access a sports centre where they were able to manage their ailments."

The closest council-run alternatives for residents were Spen Valley Leisure Centre and Batley Sports and Tennis Centre.

Campaigners argued they were harder to access by public transport, with people wanting to access activities for over 50s having to be added to waiting lists.

Surraya Patel feared for the health of elderly residents who can no longer access convenient sport facilities

Robin Price said the closure was "really upsetting", with the move leaving him worried about the safety of children in the area.

"We’ve got so many canals and rivers around here, they have to learn how to swim," he said.

"If you don’t learn early in life, it’s very hard later on - if they don’t reopen it I don’t know what the youth of this area are going to do."

Councillor Graham Turner, the council's cabinet member for finance and regeneration, said: "We took this decision with a very heavy heart.

"Unfortunately, the finances of the council are such that we cannot afford to maintain and rebuild the sports centre."

Turner added: "It was a very tough decision and nobody takes any joy from this whatsoever but that’s where we are.

"We have to deliver a balanced budget and protect those vital services."

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