Uncertain future for sports centres as council prepares review of leisure services

Nicholas Thomas – Local Democracy Reporter

Leisure services in a county borough could undergo a major transformation in the new year, including the possibility of some sports centres shutting down.

Amid local reports of potential closures, Caerphilly County Borough Council has confirmed its leisure staff are “currently being engaged” on rationalisation plans.

It is expected a proposed review of leisure services will go out to public consultation in early 2025.

The locations of the first leisure centres potentially up for review have not yet been made public, and residents will be given a chance to have their say on any proposals.

The possibility of some leisure centres shutting down is not a new policy – the council said in its 2019 sports strategy that it has “too many different facilities” and there is “a need for fewer but better-quality provision”.

Transformation

At the time, the council argued it runs more leisure centres than any other Welsh local authority, and said 70% of its sport and leisure budget was spent on running “traditional” facilities.

The news this week that leisure centre staff are being briefed on upcoming proposals suggests the council is preparing to begin turning those plans into actions, however.

A council spokesman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the sports strategy “outlines the council’s intention to gradually rationalise our existing leisure centres, in support of the focus on four strategic sites within the county borough”.

Those sites are identified in the strategy as Caerphilly town, Newbridge, Risca and “one in the Bargoed/Aberbargoed areas to serve the north of the county borough”.

Excess costs

The council spokesman said the current review “forms part of our ongoing transformation programme” designed to trim excess costs – senior councillors in Caerphilly have announced an expected savings requirement of £45 million over the next two years.

“Staff are currently being engaged and we anticipate that residents will be consulted early in the new year as part of our 2025/26 budget consultation,” the spokesman added.

According to the sports strategy, which covers the period 2019 to 2029, any other leisure centres outside of the four strategic sites “would either transfer to school management – if they are joint use facilities located on a school site, subject to governing body approval – or could close completely”.

“Careful consideration will be given to opportunities for alternative provision before any facilities are withdrawn,” the council added in that report.

At this stage, the council is not saying publicly which leisure centres will be included in the upcoming review, but there are local concerns that any of the facilities outside of the four strategic sites could be at risk.

Legal bid

Senior councillors already decided to close one leisure centre, in Pontllanfraith, in March 2024, although supporters of the facility have launched a legal bid to save it.

In the Blackwood area, Cllr Kevin Etheridge said he hoped Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre would remain open.

“I appreciate it might be at an early stage and no formal decision has been made, but it is essential the swimming baths stay open for all residents, and I await wider communication on any potential decisions,” he told the LDRS.