Closure reprieve proposals for popular leisure facilities

Community groups have come forward with offers of help to operate two popular leisure facilities in Blackburn.

Hundreds of people took part in a public consultation which was launched as part of a review into Blackburn with Darwen Council’s leisure and swimming pool provision. The review is part of many taking place across all services following unprecedented Government budget cuts.

Councillors are set to hear the findings and resulting proposals which could see the continuation of many of the well-used services at Shadsworth Leisure Centre and Daisyfield Pools.

If agreed on December 3, the Council will start making arrangements to work in partnership with Blackburn Centurions Swimming Club and Zoe Taylor Dance Academy and investigate other opportunities for Daisyfield Pools to be operated  by another organisation in the near future.  Reduced opening hours for both centres are proposed to help ensure the needed budget savings can be made.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Young People, said:

We promised to listen and involve people in any decisions about these popular facilities. That has happened, resulting in groups offering to work with us to keep both facilities open.

For these new ways of working to be successful, people who use and value the centres will need to continue to support.”

The new operating details will be widely publicised following the decision.