Calls for rescue plan as Kirklees leisure centres “will need billions” to recover

Council Leader Shabir Pandor said the authority could face a significant financial hit in the post-Covid period.

He called on the Government to step up with a rescue plan.

And he pledged that the council would NOT make cuts to cover the impact of lost revenue.

Coun Pandor was responding to fears that some leisure centres may never re-open following lockdown.

A survey by the District Councils’ Network (DCN), which represents authorities responsible for providing leisure services, is forecasting a financial hit to leisure centres of around £305m this year, potentially pushing many out of business.

It found that leisure services in district council areas lost more than £45m in income in April 2020 alone, compared with the year before.

Councils are concerned that the rapid loss of income will cause many leisure providers to go bust, while those that might survive would offer reduced services and hours.

The DCN, the voice of 187 district councils in England, is calling for emergency funding to ensure the leisure sector can survive the current period, and is able to re-open when it is safe to do so.

Coun Dan Humphreys, DCN lead member for enhancing quality of life, said: “The sad reality is that our leisure centres are in a crisis right now.

“Their income has plummeted and some may never recover without a lifeline from Government, which helps stabilise leisure centres in the short term.”

He added that the loss to local communities of gyms and swimming pools would be a devastating blow”.

Kirklees Council has not said how much its leisure sector is losing.

However in April it said it expected lost parking revenue of around £260,000 for every four weeks in lockdown.

Coun Pandor said Kirklees had managed its finances “very carefully” coming into the pandemic and that the council was in “a stable position”.

He said leisure services would be protected “as far as possible” and pointed to the authority’s £15m investment in the new Spen Valley Leisure Centre, which replaces the ageing and now demolished Spenborough Baths.

“The Local Government Association, which represents all councils, has forecasted that councils will need up to and additional £5bn to meet the costs of the pandemic which includes losses for leisure facilities.

“I can’t pretend that we will not be hit in the same way as other councils.

However the discussions I have had with Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State [for Housing, Communities and Local Government] and his ministers appear to be positive but there are always risks.

“That’s why our monthly monitoring will track our finances and we will send these back to Government with a view that they will fully reimburse all of our costs.”

He added: “We are feeling the financial impacts of this pandemic like the rest of the world is, but we will come back and we intend to come back stronger, through investment in our people and places , and not by making cuts.

“To do this, we will need strong Government backing and support not just for the short term, but longer term as well.

“I urge the Government to invest in councils like ours so we can lead this rebuild locally.”

The DCN said its survey was sent to 187 district council chief executives of whom 92 responded, representing 49% of DCN member authorities.