Batley Baths and Recreation Centre was 'sacrificed' by Kirklees Council in order to save Dewsbury Sports Centre from closure, claims Mirfield councillor

On December 5, the “temporary” closure of Batley Baths and Recreation Centre, Colne Valley Leisure Centre’s swimming pool and Deighton Sports Arena was announced.

However, at a recent meeting of Kirklees Council’s cabinet, Coun Martyn Bolt (Con, Mirfield) claimed that Dewsbury Sports Centre had also been marked for closure but this had been ruled out by Kirklees Council. This called into question which party had made the decisions – Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) or Kirklees Council.

Coun Bolt also said he had been told that the council was in talks with KAL several weeks before the decision to close the centres was taken, rather than the week as was previously specified by senior councillors.

Kirklees Council has since confirmed that it was regularly in contact with KAL and has been since the charitable organisation’s financial difficulties began during the pandemic, though it considers this to be standard practice.

The local authority says it provides "advice and support” to KAL but that the final decision to close Batley Baths and Recreation Centre, Colne Valley Swimming Pool and Deighton Sports Arena was made by KAL.

However, the council regards Coun Bolt’s timeline to support the position it has maintained – that its cabinet and leaders were informed of KAL’s temporary closure programme in the week before KAL made its final decision.

At the meeting, Coun Bolt said: “At the last council meeting one of the questions asked was: ‘When did the council know of the proposed closures?’

"The reply that was given was: ‘The week before the closures were made.

“I’ve been told, and I hope that cabinet can shed some light on it, that the actual timeline was far greater than that.

“On November 9, the KAL board, I’m told, had an away day where the decision was made to close a number of KAL sites until the end of March.

“It was then said that on November 10, Kirklees Council were informed of the trustees’ temporary closure proposals. Bearing in mind the decision to close the sites was on December 5, that’s far more than a week.

“After further consideration, a revised proposal for sites was sent to the board and Kirklees were informed of the revised proposals on November 21, still way in advance of the week timescale we were told at full council.

“Crucially, on November 29, KAL trustees were informed that Dewsbury Sports Centre was removed from a list of temporary closures after discussion with the council. That was roughly a week before the decision was made.

"So we’ve had nearly a month when the council had been consulted, aware and in dialogue for the closures of the sports centres, and within that week period, at the 11th hour, Dewsbury Sports Centre was removed from the temporary list and then we see the likes of Batley, Colne Valley and others sacrificed.

“So when the council, in discussion with KAL, took a decision not to close Dewsbury, who suggested Batley or Colne Valley as the ones which should be sacrificed?”

Coun Bolt added: “If the KAL trustees are ‘informed’ that the Dewsbury Sports Centre was to be removed from the list after discussion with the council, that seems like influence or decision by the council.”

Conservative Group leader, Coun David Hall, also attended the meeting and said: “It’s not a question of the decision that was taken, it’s a question about the manner in which the decision was taken because at some point we are told that KAL had a discussion with the council and after the discussion with the council it was decided that Dewsbury pool would not close and that other pools would close.

"Can you tell us who at the council was having these discussions with KAL?”

Leader of the Council, Coun Shabir Pandor, did not confirm or deny the points made during the meeting but said that he would provide the councillors with a briefing of what happened. However, since the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted Kirklees Council for clarification.

The council has since confirmed its cabinet and leaders were informed of KAL’s temporary closure programme on November 21 with KAL making a final decision on November 29. A public announcement from KAL then followed on December 5.

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: “The decision temporarily to close the three sites was taken by Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) management and board of trustees who oversee the management of the KAL estate and services.

"Cabinet and leaders of the council’s political groups were notified of their intentions in the week prior to the KAL board decision.

“The council is always on hand to advise and support its local partner organisations. For KAL, this has included £11million in financial support over the past four years and a further proposed support package in the coming year alongside the range of services we commission in health and fitness services from them every year. But the final decision rested with KAL.

“KAL are now running a consultation about the future of all three sites. Customers and users of the facilities have the opportunity to shape the future of the offer in their area.”

At present, Batley and Deighton’s leisure centres are at risk of permanent closure, despite a £6m bailout for KAL put forward in the council’s budget.

The only facility to be re-opening its doors in April is Colne Valley’s pool.