Shropshire leisure centres shake-up shock
The management of five of Shropshire's biggest leisure centres is to be sold off as part of a restructure by its current owner.
Outsourcing giant Serco plans to sell off its environmental and leisure businesses in the UK, including the management of the Quarry Leisure Centre and Sports Village in Shrewsbury, the new Oswestry Leisure Centre, and the centres in Market Drayton and Whitchurch.
The 10-year contract to run the centres was signed only two years ago, and the council has yet to comment on whether it has a break clause.
Staff at the leisure centres, who are employed by Serco, received an e-mail earlier this week informing them that their arm of the business is to be sold.
It comes after Serco revealed on Monday that it was to shift its focus to government services such as justice, immigration, defence and transport, and was to sell its business outsourcing operations. The company has since confirmed in a statement that it was looking to sell its leisure businesses.
Councillor Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council's cabinet member with responsibility for leisure services, said: "We are aware that Serco is looking to sell its environmental and leisure businesses and we will be discussing this with them in more detail.
"In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with Serco Leisure, as the managing agent, and Shropshire Community Leisure Trust, as the operator of the five sites, to deliver the high quality leisure services."
In a statement, Serco said: "We have stepped up our disposals programme, the proceeds of which will contribute to reducing net debt.
"We will be looking to dispose of our environmental and leisure businesses in the UK."
Serco says the 200 staff employed across the centres will transfer with the business, and that despite the sale the leisure side is considered to be a strong business.
The company runs every aspect of the centres, from the lifeguards at the swimming pools and the cleaners to the centres' management.
It landed the contract to run the sites in July 2012, promising to make "significant" investment in the centres over the course of the 10-year contract.
The deal was designed to save £350,000 a year in subsidy payments, as the centres were costing the council £1.2 million a year to run.
