Management of leisure centres in Lichfield and Burntwood will be taken back in house if proposals are approved.
Lichfield District Council’s Friary Grange Leisure Centre and Burntwood Leisure Centre are currently managed by not-for-profit organisation Freedom Leisure.
But meetings next week will discuss proposals to scrap the agreement with both sites then managed by the local authority’s own trading company in the coming months.
Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said:
“We know how important good leisure facilities are to the people of our district, confirmed once more in recent district wide surveys.
“The council is committed to investing in and providing leisure centres people want to visit and enjoy.
“It was an easy decision to bring Friary Grange and Burntwood Leisure centres under council control, through our wholly-owned trading company, as we continue to evolve the services to support the health and physical wellbeing of people across our district.
“Our proposed new leisure centre at Stychbrook Park – a replacement for the ageing facility at Friary Grange – will be determined by full council in February, but we have robust plans in place for further developing and evolving leisure provision in the district.
“As a consequence of the transfer Lichfield District Council will be able to set aside an additional sum in an earmarked reserve to cover additional costs of energy until March 2025.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
Freedom Leisure bosses warned “difficult decisions” could need to be taken due to the impact of rising energy costs and leisure centres being omitted from a list of industries due to receive enhanced Government support.
But Lichfield District Council now says takes have been taking place “over several months” with the operator to agree the future of local leisure provision.
Ivan Horsfall Turner, Freedom Leisure’s CEO, said:
“We have had a strong and collaborative working partnership with Lichfield District Council, and we are proud of the work we have done to deliver the leisure centres in Lichfield over the last five years.
“At this time however, both we and the council feel that this new venture will be a progressive move forward for the council and for the residents of Lichfield district and we will ensure a smooth and uninterrupted transfer of the service and staff back to the council.”
Ivan Horsfall Turner, Freedom Leisure
