Batley: Protest held over swimming pool closure

Protestors hope Kirklees Council and its leisure provider will rethink the closure plan

A large group of people gathered earlier to protest against the closure of Batley Baths.

The baths closed temporarily last year due to rising costs and Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) confirmed this month it would not be reopened.

Campaigners claim it is a vital facility for the community and have urged the operators to reconsider.

Kirklees Council said it had approved a £6m support package for KAL, but "difficult decisions" had to be made.

KAL runs a number of facilities across the district for Kirklees Council, including Deighton Sports Arena and the swimming pool at Colne Valley Leisure Centre, which were also temporarily closed late last year.

It announced earlier this month that Batley Baths would remain closed due to the "significant costs involved" in running the centre.

Protestors outside the baths expressed their concerns, including Tanisha Bradwell from the Save Batley Bath's Campaign.

"We've already lost so much at a grassroots level, we simply cannot afford to lose any more assets, it is going to have a negative impact," she said.

The campaign group said KAL had "failed to prioritise the community's voice"and wanted the council to takeover.

The protestors fear the impact on people's health and wellbeing if the pool remains shut

Kirklees Council has confirmed a £6m support package for KAL but said leisure centres across the UK had faced "major financial challenges due to the rise in energy costs".

"Some difficult decisions have had to be made," said Councillor Paul Davies.

"The council's focus right now is to work with KAL to address the financial pressures they continue to face."

The town's Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has already questioned the impact it would have on the health and wellbeing of local people and said she did not want to lose the facility from Batley town centre.

"There is an opportunity maybe for a community buyout of the facility, now that that is a big piece of work and we would need an organisation or group that is prepared to take that on," she said.