By Elliott Patrice –
In their draft budget for the next financial year, Kirklees Council has included a planned support package totalling more than £6 million for Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL).
Additionally, with the recent temporary closures of the three sports facilities in December, KAL is conducting a survey of the public to get an understanding of how much these sports centres are used and who is using them.
Statement
According to a statement released on KAL’s website: “We can now confirm that Kirklees Council’s draft budget for the next financial year (starting on 1 April 2023) includes support totalling more than £6m to allow KAL to continue to operate a significant proportion of the current estate.”
In the statement, KAL said they are seeking views from customers at the affected sites such as Deighton Sports Arena and the Batley Baths & Recreation Centre.
The £6m will allow KAL to continue to operate a significant portion of the sites that were closed, and they will be in a position to make changes to the temporary action they took in December.
The statement continues with KAL emphasising that the “wider economic situation remains very difficult” and that they will still “need to maintain some of the measures we took last year”.
As part of the survey, KAL outlined their proposed changes for the three main centres affected.
Colne Valley Leisure Centre – Swimming Pool
KAL claim that a “clear need for the pool at Colne Valley Leisure Centre has been identified” and there the pool will reopen for customers in early April 2023.
A re-programming exercise to maximise daytime usage, including future school swimming schedules, were cited as some of the main reasons behind the planned reopening.
Deighton Sports Arena
KAL says they are currently “exploring options to implement limited hours provision for an interim period” and looking at the long-term future of the site.
In their statement, they claim that the current analysis makes it difficult to viably re-open the sports arena financially.
Batley Baths & Recreation Centre
In the statement, KAL outline that they are “currently exploring options for reduced or alternative provision on an interim basis whilst options for the longer-term future of the facility is considered.”
KAL state the continued considerable operating costs for the centre, in particular the swimming pool, and their difficulty mitigating said costs, are one of the main reasons behind the currently proposed decision.
Additionally, the availability of alternative KAL centres within a few Batley Baths & Recreation Centre is another factor being considered.
To have your say on the proposed changes to the sports centres and take part in the survey, please follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DSA-23 or contact KAL at contact.centre@kal.org.uk before 27th February 2023.