'No hidden agenda' over Bishop's Castle leisure centre

More than 2,500 people have signed a petition to secure the future of the SpArC leisure centre in Bishop's Castle which was presented at yesterday's full meeting of Shropshire Council at Shirehall.

The petition, calling for Shropshire Council to work with the Teme Leisure and Community Groups to develop a sustainable future for the centre, was launched in a bid to stop cuts to funding .

Fears for the future of SpArC, which includes a gym, squash courts and sports facilities alongside the swimming pool, were first raised by Alan Doust, headteacher of Bishop's Castle Community College, which makes use of the centre.

The concerns are over cuts to funding for centres attached to schools, which could lead to a shortfall of £100,000, putting the venue at risk of closure.

At the meeting, Councillor Steve Charmley, portfolio holder for business, ip&e, culture and commissioning, said: "I note the title of the petition – 'The Sustainable Future of the SpArC Centre' – and it's in all of our interests for that to be the case."

Councillor Charmley, who insisted there was no hidden agenda to close the centre, suggested other options to ensure its future including a community interest or a transfer to the town council.

Kate Evans, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of the Save Our SpArC campaign, said: "We have universal support, we've collected over 2,500 signatures and the population of the town is only 2,000.

"Its membership per capita is large, there were just seven members in 2009 compared to 245 in 2014, and it's used by non-members too despite the reduction of its opening hours in 2013."

Mrs Evans also expressed concerns for the local primary schools which use the pool, as she said sending the pupils by bus was "impossible" and that one of the nearby pools – The Flash in Welshpool – could only offer 30 minutes of swimming for the children.

"SpArC is the only meeting place in the town for young people apart from the pub, it's vital for them," she said.

Bishop's Castle ward councillor Charlotte Barnes said the centre had many benefits, including helping to save the NHS money by making people "healthier, happier and fitter".

She said: "We need to work with Teme, it's not about being political, it's just about getting the job done and making sure it's there for many years to come."

A chunk of funding for leisure centres in both Bishop's Castle and Church Stretton comes through the education budget on which Shropshire Council is looking to make savings of about 30 per cent.

Mrs Evans said the leisure centre was a lifeline for the town, not just for school children, but for the elderly to keep active and for everyone to go to both keep fit and socialise.