Full council to debate Cornwall leisure centre closure plan

The leisure centre in Falmouth is one of four under threat of closure

Cornwall Council will debate possible leisure centre closures at a full council meeting after thousands signed a petition.

Leisure operator GLL said it could no longer afford to run sites in Falmouth, Launceston, Saltash and Wadebridge and a hydrotherapy pool in St Austell, unless it had financial help.

More than 5,000 people have signed the petition launched by independent councillors.

Plans will be debated on 30 November.

The council has said it has no budget for leisure services which are not a statutory requirement, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

As well as securing the signatures on the petition, a cross-party group of councillors have also submitted a motion to full council which calls for the decision on the future of leisure centres to be made by all councillors and not just the 10 on the cabinet.

Former council leader Julian German said: "The closure of leisure centres is an important issue affecting many residents and deserves to be debated by the full council."

Former council chairman Hilary Frank (Lib Dem) said: "It's essential that all 87 elected representatives can debate and vote on supporting our leisure centres, which are of key importance to all our residents.

"It's not right that only 10 members of the cabinet have this privilege."