Wyre's controversial leisure centre decision is called-in by opposition

It follows an extraordinary meeting of the Wyre cabinet on Wednesday last week, when the cabinet approved an additional subsidy of £340,165 in 2020/21 for Fylde Coast YMCA to help reopen leisure amenities at Thornton and Garstang, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

However, the Cabinet agreed that the Fleetwood and Poulton centres would remain closed but under regular review in the months ahead.

This prompted an angry response in Fleetwood, where the leisure centre’s swimming pool has been closed since March this year.

The Labour councillors’ move to call in that decision means it will now be reviewed by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee and a date has been set for Tuesday December 15.

The five councillors hope that after the review, the portfolio holder for leisure, health and community engagement, Coun Lynne Bowen, will be asked to reconsider the decision.

However, Wyre Council leader, Coun David Henderson, says the decision was taken for sound economic reasons at a time when the centres, owned by Wyre but run by the YMCA, are seriously struggling because of this year’s lockdowns.

Coun Lorraine Beavers, spokesman for the Labour councillors , said: “Residents of Fleetwood, Thornton Cleveleys, Poulton and elsewhere are quite rightly appalled by the Cabinet’s decision to keep our pools and gyms shut.

“It is damaging for the physical and mental wellbeing of residents, harmful to the kids wanting to learn to swim, and further bad news for YMCA members, who have been unable to go swimming for eight months. Residents need the pools and the gyms open now.”

Coun Cheryl Raynor, another Fleetwood member who called in the decision, said: “The Cabinet have shown such a lack of imagination and understanding.

“We want to know why they believe Garstang pool is within a reasonable travelling distance for the 70 per cent of the population who live in the west of the borough, but above all we want an informed decision, not an ill-informed decision based on some really dodgy usage figures.

“The long-term financial sustainability does need looking at but right now lets just get the pools and the gyms open.

“The continued closures are doing nothing for the long-term future and let’s face it, members won’t wait around forever, they will go elsewhere, and this is simply unacceptable.”

But Coun David Henderson, leader of Wyre Council, said: “Thornton and Garstang are the centres that we agreed with the YMCA should reopen first.

“These centres have retained the highest proportion of their members since reopening after the first lockdown and therefore provide the best chance of bringing in money to support the other centres that have not been as busy further down the line.

“We understand public concern that the centres at Poulton and Fleetwood are not reopening at the same time as Garstang and Thornton, however I want to stress that this situation is being reviewed monthly and it is our intention to continue to work with the YMCA to reopen all the centres as soon as it’s viable to do so.”