Leisure review decision 'postponed'

A decision to consult on leisure service and swimming pool cuts in Powys has been postponed.

This morning it was revealed that the item to decide to go to consultation on the four options to slim down leisure provision in the county had been pulled from next Tuesday’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet meeting.

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This followed fiery joint scrutiny committee meetings on Thursday, November 14 and yesterday, Wednesday, November 20 where councillors from across the political spectrum united to slam proposals to cut leisure service provision in Powys.

Earlier this month the council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet revealed  four options for the leisure centres and swimming pools in the county that are run by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Powys County Council’s.

The cabinet’s intention was to decide at a meeting next Tuesday, November to go ahead with a public consultation on the options, before making an ultimate decision probably next summer.

After over four hours of debate, councillors believed the decision should be discussed and taken at a full council meeting and were frustrated at the lack of steer from cabinet and council chiefs over what should be a preferred option going into the consultation.

They believed they were having to discuss the whole length and breadth of leisure provision in Powys and would have preferred homing in on one idea to get their teeth into.

Cabinet member for a safer Powys, Cllr Richard Church said: “The feeling is that it would be better, to set out the costs of them and the impacts of all the options and engage on them next year.”

Health and Care scrutiny committee chairwoman, Conservative Cllr Amanda Jenner believed that a format similar to that used in schools reorganisation should be used, setting out the pros and cons for each individual leisure centre.

Learning and skills committee chairman, Conservative Cllr Gwynfor Thomas, said:

“We do realise our financial pressures, we have to have an aspiration for education and wellbeing, and I worry we are not ready now.

“There are so many questions being asked and we are not fully getting the answers.

“The communities will  be confused on those options, and I would not be able to give them the answers to so many of them I am totally confused.

“I do not think we can put a list of recommendations to cabinet as it would be exhaustive.

“I would be happy to propose that this paper doesn’t go to cabinet next week.”

Economy residents and communities committee chairwoman, Liberal Democrat Cllr Angela Davies said:

“Our one recommendation is that this paper is not ready to go to cabinet for a decision.

“It’s clear that members from across the political divide feel we can’t afford to close them, because of the impacts there will be on our schools and vulnerable and smaller communities.

“We ask council staff to work with member and come up with a paper that’s in a fit state to put out to our communities.

“There are still many gaps in knowledge and evidence.”

Councillors and independent lay committee members unanimously agreed that the report should be pulled.

Cllr Gibson-Watt said:

“I have withdrawn the leisure review paper from next week’s Cabinet agenda so that further discussions can be held with group leaders, scrutiny chairs and others before the report is considered by Cabinet.”