Powys councillors have pointed the finger of blame at the Westminster Tory Government as they backed the closure of several leisure centres and swimming pools for the winter.
At a meeting of Powys County Council’s cabinet on Tuesday, December 13 councillors agreed to the temporarily close three leisure centre buildings to the public – including Llanfyllin, Llanfair Caereinion and Presteigne – and to temporarily close the swimming pools to both public and schools in Llanidloes, Rhayader and Builth Wells from December 23 to March 31, 2023.
Freedom Leisure, which runs the leisure facilities on behalf of the council, proposed the changes as a measure to plug a predicted £287,000 loss on its contract this financial year, brought about by spiralling energy costs.
As part of the decision the cabinet will also start the process to review leisure service provision in Powys.
This is because it is predicted that Freedom Leisure will need an extra £1.1million next year from the council to run leisure services as they are.
Cabinet member for economic development and leisure, Cllr David Selby said: “I introduce this paper to cabinet with regret and a degree of anger.
“We face a financial crisis not of our own making, councils throughout the country are having to take decision about much loved services.
"We’re being forced into it. The UK Government has created the unstable financial market and has not reacted to the energy crisis.
“The whole of the leisure sector throughout the UK has been affected.
“We have seen throughout the energy crisis the inability of the Conservative Government to deal with the consequences of its actions and instead pass the buck to us as councils to make really difficult decisions.
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“None of the decisions are easy or popular, but they need to be taken.”
He added that Freedom Leisure has been taking measures to try and bring down their utility bills but they “aren’t enough”.
Deputy council leader, Cllr Matthew Dorrance said: “None of us want to see reduction of local services, but it is the reality of the decision made by the UK Government to end energy support for council funded and public sector organisations like schools, leisure centres, care homes, community centres and libraries.
“They made that decision despite there being a £100 million need in Wales to address a 285 per cent hike in energy costs. It is a mistake.”
Education portfolio holder, Cllr Pete Roberts asked how much would delaying the decision would cost Freedom Leisure.
Head of finance, Jane Thomas said: “Delay would make the situation worse.”
Director of economy and environment, Nigel Brinn said: “Our subsidy overall is about £2.5 million a year.”
He believed that a month’s delay could cost about £200,000.
The cabinet unanimously voted in favour of the temporary closures, but opposition councillors have moved to call in the decision for scrutiny.
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