Birmingham City Council to review leisure services

Birmingham City Council is to review leisure services in the city to deal with a £3m overspend.

The plans could include the closure of services or private companies taking over the running of leisure centres, BBC WM political reporter Elizabeth Glinka said.

Reasons for the overspend include a rise in energy costs, falling usage and funding its Be Active programme.

Proposals will be put before cabinet in October, the council said.

The Be Active offer, which allocates free hours to leisure centres based on local deprivation levels, was launched in September 2009, the authority said.

In February, it approved its £102m savings plan, leading to the likelihood that about 1,000 jobs will be cut over two years.