Seven swimming pools in West Yorkshire at risk of closure

Kirklees Active Leisure says it is facing financial challenges

Seven swimming pools in West Yorkshire are at risk of closure, according to a firm that runs them for the council.

Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) has pools in Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Slaithwaite, Holmfirth, Liversedge and Batley.

The company told Kirklees councillors that funding for essential work was needed at a number of its centres.

Adele Poppleton from Kirklees Council told a meeting that currently "all of the pools are at risk" but that the situation may change.

KAL is facing "huge financial challenges" the meeting heard, and the organisation is planning to move out of its head offices at the Stadium Health & Fitness Club in Huddersfield.

The firm has its head office at Stadium Health and Fitness Club in Huddersfield

Ms Poppleton said money needed to be spent on repairs at eight of KAL's ten leisure centres in the district, with more than £1m of investment needed in each of Scissett Baths and Fitness Centre, Batley Sports and Tennis Centre and Dewsbury Sports Centre alone.

The Dewsbury site needs at least £2.5m of work, she said.

KAL runs pools at Colne Valley Leisure Centre, Dewsbury Sports Centre, Holmfirth Pool and Fitness Centre, Huddersfield Leisure Centre, Scissett Baths and Fitness Centre, Spen Valley Leisure Centre and Stadium Health and Fitness Club in Huddersfield.

She told councillors the company is seeking £500,000 in funding from Sport England's Swimming Pool Support Fund, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Risk of closure'

"At this moment in time, until KAL come back to us with what they feel they can deliver and remain solvent, all of the pools are at risk, but once we've discussed that offer, it may move to a position where we're able to say there are pools no longer at risk," she said.

"In order to apply for the Sports England funding, the pools have to be at risk of closure and the local authority has to make a commitment that if funded, we will ensure that those pools remain open for three years."

Options including temporary closure of the centres in the hope of reopening them in the future and closing centres completely are being explored, she said.

The council's current budget sets aside £6.1m for KAL. But this is expected to decrease significantly over the coming years with a maximum of £2.55m earmarked for KAL next year.

Last December, KAL temporarily closed Batley Baths, Deighton Sports Arena and Colne Valley's swimming pools.

The pool has since re-opened at the Colne Valley site as has Deighton's which is currently operating at limited capacity and will do so until November. Batley Baths continues to be closed.

KAL has been asked to update the council on its position on 29 August.