Fulwood Leisure Centre is likely to transfer out of council ownership

The sale of Preston’s leisure centres has moved a step closer.

Preston City Council is preparing to offload Fulwood Leisure Centre and West View Leisure Centre during the course of 2017.

Running the swimming pools, gyms and climbing wall is subsidised by the taxpayer at a cost of £1m and with mounting government cutbacks the city council says this is no longer a service it can provide.

The city council is understood to be in advanced negotiations with Greenwich Leisure Limited group who operate more than 100 sport and leisure facilities on behalf of councils across the UK.

Fulwood and West View would be transferred into the Better leisure groups ownership and control as part of the deal.

Read more: Fulwood Leisure Centre marks 40th anniversary

Detailed plans about the sale of the buildings and how leisure services would operate – and what happens to any leisure services staff – are to be discussed by the city council’s cabinet on Wednesday 11 January.

West View Leisure Centre

Cabinet member for leisure and culture councillor Peter Kelly said: “The City Council has to save over £3m a year by 2019/2020 and as such, all areas of council spending have been subject to detailed review.

“A review of Leisure Services has identified options for future savings, whilst also maintaining a strong leisure provision in Preston.

“A full report and recommendations are to be considered by Cabinet on 11th January when members will make a decision about how the leisure service will be run in the future.”

Read more: How the price of going for a swim in Preston is going up

A report by the city council, released in October, explained how no longer operating the leisure centres would save the city council £750,000-a-year by 2020.

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