Cheshire East leisure centres could close amid budget shortfall

The council funds 13 gyms and studios, nine swimming pools, nine sports pitches and two athletics tracks

Four leisure centres could close if a commercial operator is not found or alternative funding is not secured, a council has said.

Cheshire East Council is proposing removing funding for Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, Middlewich and Poynton.

There are currently 15 council-run leisure centres across the borough.

Last month, the authority said it was facing an £18.7m budget shortfall, due to rising costs of adult social care and children's services.

The council funds 13 gyms and studios, nine swimming pools, nine sports pitches and two athletics tracks.

Sites are operated by Everybody Health and Leisure, a charitable trust.

Under the contract, the council pays an annual management fee to the company and funds all facilities management costs which includes minor maintenance and utility costs.

For the last financial year, the financial management costs were £3.8m - more than £1.5m higher than the previous year.

'Rising drastically'

After a review, the council said the four sites in Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, Middlewich and Poynton should lose financial support, with the council seeking to have the sites either operated on a commercial basis, financed by alternative funding or being shut down.

The council said these sites had low membership and visitor numbers.

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said that "significant" savings had been made already since the council's budget was passed earlier this year.

"However, the reality is that these savings are still not enough - costs are rising drastically," he added.

"Last year, funding to maintain leisure centres and cover the related utility fees cost the council more than £1m extra, compared to the previous year."

Everybody Health and Leisure has opposed the plans and its board of trustees has published an open letter raising concerns.

It said more than 200 people work across the four sites and the proposals could have "considerable" impact on local jobs

It added that if the plan did go ahead it would work with any organisation to keep the sites open.

If it is backed by councillors at a meeting next week, a public consultation will start later this month.

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