Council announces over £2m maintenance and refurbishment works for borough’s leisure centres. A £2.1m investment works programme has been approved by South Ribble Borough Council Cabinet, set to deliver vital maintenance and improvement works to the Borough’s well used leisure centres. Final approval for the budget will be taken to Full Council on 26th February.

This will enhance the visiting experience for customers and will ensure the leisure centres are fit for purpose for another five to ten years. The works, approved by the SRBC Cabinet on 22 January, will take place over the next three years and will see improvements in a number of areas along with essential repairs.

The announcement of works comes following a Condition Survey Report undertaken in 2016 which identified repairs and maintenance needed across all the leisure centres. Councillor Mick Titherington, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Leisure said:

“I’m so pleased that we are able to approve this programme of works for the borough’s leisure centres. Our centres are well used but are in dire need of essential repairs and overall TLC.

“A priority for us is to ensure that residents across the borough have environmentally conscious, safe, suitable and inviting facilities to help them lead an active life and this programme of works will begin the start of our journey to fully achieve this. “Unfortunately, the centres have been allowed to fall into disrepair despite a clear Conditions Survey being received in 2016 by the previous administration which mapped out the issues.

“We need to ensure the leisure provision for our residents remain in a suitable condition and through this programme we can be assured that the centres will be enhanced and fit for purpose for a further five to ten years.”
Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Assets said: “It’s encouraging that these works will soon be coming into fruition with most of the work being undertaken this year.

“While the centres are in desperate need of improvements, the investment will not be about carrying out every single piece of work identified but rather we have committed to an affordable investment plan by picking up the key areas highlighted in the conditions survey report. “We have strong future aspirations for the leisure offer in the borough and we are now taking the time to consider our current leisure management contract and we have instructed officers to develop sustainable and affordable options for a new leisure facility in the borough.

“We hope that our residents, users of the centres and their staff will welcome the much-needed upgrades, and we are looking forward to getting started.” Works will begin this year and further information will be released in relation to upcoming and ongoing works as the programme progresses.