Labour attempt to get Wyre leisure decision reconsidered is out-voted

Fleetwood Leisure Centre has been closed since March

Wyre’s opposition Labour councillors had called in the Cabinet’s controversial decision to leave Fleetwood and Poulton’s leisure centres and pools closed.

It followed a Wyre Cabinet decision on December 2 to approve an additional subsidy of £340,165 in 2020/21 to help reopen Thornton and Garstang leisure amenities, once Covid restrictions were lifted - but keep the other two shut.

The call-in meant the matter had to go before Wyre's Overview and Scrutiny Committee tonight - but when the decision went to a vote it was defeated by 9-5.

The original Wyre Cabinet decision on December 2 saw members approve an additional subsidy of £340,165 in 2020/21 to help reopen Thornton and Garstang leisure amenities, once Covid restrictions were lifted - but keep the other two shut.

That prompted Labour, led by Fleetwood councillors Lorraine Beavers and Cheryl Raynor, to called-in that decision, hoping that Coun Lynne Bowen, the portfolio holder for leisure, health and community engagement, would reconsider.

At tonight's meeting, Coun Lynn Bowen argued that the original Cabinet decision had been taken because a trial period was needed to see if reopening the pools was viable - and Garstang was the most economically viable to gauge that.

But Coun Beavers, and fellow Labour councillors Rob Fail and Paul Longton, said the decision was made using flawed data and did not take into account all the other options available.

Coun Beavers said: "The recommended options were based on unsound information and therefore the decision was unsound."

The vote was taken after a lengthy meeting lasting two-and-a half hours.