Council chiefs asked to approve consultation over future of under-threat Much Wenlock Leisure Centre

The money-saving proposals include an option for the council’s leisure team to cease to operate Much Wenlock Leisure Centre, as well as to withdraw subsidy for community use, which the council claim would save around £280,040 per year.

The centre is a joint-use facility, owned by the William Brookes Academy Trust. 

In April 2021, the school joined The 3-18 Education Trust,  a multi-academy trust with nine other schools.

Since 2010, Shropshire Council has operated and managed the centre on behalf of the trust for just over 56 hours a week, to provide community use when it is not being used by the school.

If the council's cabinet agree to pull the funding on Wednesday, the changes could mean a reduction in community use. 

But Shropshire Council say William Brookes School and their parent trust are "positively exploring alternative ways of operating the centre".

Councillor Robert Macey, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for culture and digital, said it was still "very early days" but the authority were "encouraged by the conversations".

He added:  "As many will know, we are at a critical point to secure future sustainability as the council we need to be, and this means that we have some tough decisions to make now and in the future.

“Leisure provision is not a statutory service, but it is supported by us to promote the health and wellbeing of the community and to fulfil the compulsory element of the primary school national curriculum for swimming and water safety. However, we can no longer afford to do this. Instead, we need to ensure that we continue to deliver those services which keep people safe.

“Much Wenlock Leisure Centre is expensive to run and maintain, and on top of this it needs investment to reduce the cost of operation.

“No decisions have yet been made and we will be asking for agreement to go out to consult on these proposed changes at our meeting on Wednesday.”