By Joshua Robinson – 

September 2024 marks the first anniversary of the closure of the Dewsbury Sports Centre and Community Hub. Its closure has left a profound void within the town. The Centre had to close because of RAAC in the building.

Since 2010, the community in Dewsbury has had to deal with relentless cuts to essential services and, the loss of youth centres, Sure Start centres, and grassroots organisations.

The Save Dewsbury Sports Centre campaign group has uncovered the independent surveyors’ report commissioned by Kirklees Council to look into the prevalence of RAAC in the building. This report is damning for two reasons:

1. Council leaders claimed not to have seen it.
2. It has detected only two fractured panels above the swimming pool. It recommended that the Centre could reopen with minimal remedial work, yet the Council has failed to act on these recommendations.

Surraya Patel, secretary of the campaign group, said: “Our campaign group is once again challenging the Council to engage with the group and share what the real problem is!! To that end, we have organised a public meeting on Sunday 15th September, 4 pm at Thornhill Lees Community Centre WF12 9DU. We are delighted that our new Independent MP, Iqbal Mohammed, will be attending the meeting who has given his unqualified support to our campaign. All local councillors and Council leaders have been invited to attend and explain their plans for reopening our Centre. We urge the whole community to attend our meeting and to get behind this vital campaign.”

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