Tens of thousands of pounds more is to be handed over to a social enterprise which has taken on running the city’s leisure centres.
Preston City Council is to carry out repairs on Fulwood and West View Leisure Centres.
The city council’s leader councillor Peter Rankin and cabinet member for resources councillor Martyn Rawlinson have signed off more than £100,000 of repairs to the two buildings.
It comes after a survey of the buildings and the contract for the transfer of the leisure centres, which took place in May, is dependant on the repairs being done.
Read more: Leisure centres in Preston have a new owner and here’s details of the deal
A spokeswoman for the city council said: “A survey was conducted as part of the transfer deal of Fulwood and Westview Leisure centres, which highlighted a number of residual repairs that Preston City Council committed to resolving within the contract with GLL.”
The total amount to be spent and the full nature of the repairs has been restricted from the public, as it relates to a business interest.
A spokesman for GLL said: “Improvements to Fulwood and West View Leisure Centres by Preston City Council will bring a better experience for customers – which everyone wants.
“Following on from this initial work which includes rewiring, improved lighting and pool covers – there will be further upgrades in 2018. We look forward to sharing these with centre members, staff and the local community in due course.”
The deal in May saw the city council hand over £1million to GLL as part of the deal, but it will save the city council more than £1million-a-year it was spending on subsidising leisure services.
Council documents show the city council considered paying GLL to undertake the work on their behalf – but this was rejected as it was felt the city council could find a more cost-effective solution for the work themselves.
What do you think about the leisure centres deal? Have you used them since the transfer? Let us know in the comments below