Burntwood Leisure Centre

The management of two leisure centres in Lichfield and Burntwood will be handed over to a private company from February 1, Lichfield District Council has confirmed.

Burntwood Leisure Centre
Burntwood Leisure Centre

The local authority will outsource the running of Friary Grange Leisure Centre and Burntwood Leisure Centre to Freedom Leisure.

Councillors have now formalised the date on which the transfer will formally take place.

Cllr Iain Eadie, Cabinet member for leisure at Lichfield District Council, said: “We’re delighted that the work to transfer two of our leisure centres to Freedom Leisure is progressing well and is on schedule.

“We’re also grateful to all our fantastic staff who are helping us to achieve the transfer so smoothly.

Friary Grange Leisure Centre
Friary Grange Leisure Centre

“Outsourcing the management of our leisure centres will help us to use our resources effectively, while providing the best possible services for local people.

“Where Freedom has taken over the operation of leisure centres in other areas of the country, such as Wrexham and Arun, participation levels have gone up, significant investment into the facilities has taken place, and local communities have responded well to the wider opportunities to live healthier, more active lifestyles, and to make the most of their leisure time.”

Freedom Leisure is a not-for-profit leisure trust that manages facilities elsewhere in the UK.

Managing director Ivan Horsfall-Turner said he was confident the centres would “go from strength to strength”.

“We are pleased the transfer is moving forward as planned and we are looking forward to taking on the running of the two centres in February, as well as leading a programme of improvements to boost facilities and activities offered,” he said.

“We have enjoyed meeting the teams at the centres in the run up to the hand over and we are looking forward to working with them to further shape and develop the high quality services and facilities they offer to the local community.

“We hope that our operational expertise, coupled with our local approach, will mean that the services will go from strength-to-strength in support of the objectives we share with the council.”

The council confirmed last month that the management of the King Edward VI Leisure Centre in Lichfield will be transferred to King Edward VI School.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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John Griffin
6 years ago

While there are reasons for this ,the comments on the decline of some facilities and the rock bottom wages do not engender 100% confidence