WILTSHIRE Council’s cabinet has given the green light to proposals for leisure facilities in the county.
Under the proposals, Westbury had been told it must manage both Leighton Recreation Centre and Westbury Swimming Pool through community ownership; a proposal that has caused much alarm in the town since the plans were announced in July.
Earlier this month, the recently formed Westbury Leisure Alliance announced that they would oppose Wiltshire Council’s proposals to transfer both Leighton Recreation Centre and Westbury Pool to community ownership. The group had written to cabinet members before the proposals were approved, urging them to reconsider their plans.
Wiltshire Council has previously stated that they would ensure that both Leighton Recreation Centre and Westbury Pool are in good condition and fit for purpose before handing the facilities over to community ownership, most notably with a £3million indoor bowls facility at Leighton. However, in the revised plans that followed a consultation, provision for indoor bowling will remain in Melksham and there are no longer any plans for indoor bowls to come to Westbury.
Neil Tribick of the Westbury Leisure Alliance said, “To say that the news [about the indoor bowls] came as a little bit of a surprise is an understatement because in the previous proposals, the council was making that a fairly major part of their overall scheme – they were encouraging people to think the bowls would be a money spinner and bring people in from across the county.
Driving ahead
“It does all seem to be changing with each publication, it’s difficult to manage a situation where things change so much. It does seem to me that they are driving relentlessly ahead and doing so in a slightly haphazard manner.”
Following the approval of the leisure proposals, Wiltshire Council state that Leighton Recreation Centre and Westbury Pool “will remain the responsibility of the council until future management arrangements are determined.”
Uncertain timetable
Westbury leisure campaigners are still waiting to hear what effect the latest timetable of cuts will have on the town’s leisure facilities.
Wiltshire Council has been told that the government may front load some savings, which could affect the timetable of leisure proposals, details of which are due to be discussed next week.
Countywide leisure plans
Wiltshire Council will undertake a programme of replacement, refurbishment, and development of their leisure facilities across the county over the next 25 years. This includes replacing smaller centres with new, larger multi-purpose community facilties, the refurbishment of other centres and the creation of facilities run by local communities.
New “multi-purpose community campuses” will be built in some towns, including the neighbouring towns of Trowbridge, Warminster, and Melksham.
However, the future of facilities like Leighton Recreation Centre, Westbury Pool, Pewsey Sports Centre, and Bradford Pool remain uncertain until future management arrangements are made.
Cabinet member for leisure and sport, Stuart Wheeler said, “We are committed to providing the people of Wiltshire first class leisure facilities which encourage everyone to take part in healthy activities.
“Without making any improvements to these leisure centres, or building any new ones, we would have had to spend a massive £93million just to maintain them over the next 25 years and this is not affordable.”
The final proposals will now go to a meeting of the full council, date to be confirmed, to seek approval for the funding of the scheme.
