Cash splashed on the Aquatec

Money to be spent on pool area revamp

North Lanarkshire Leisure have confirmed they will not be closing any sports facilities, despite a reduced budget for the next financial year.

The organisation was faced with a significant reduction in management fees as well as increased cost pressures.

Efficiency savings of £2.8million had to be identified and will be implemented during the forthcoming year.

North Lanarkshire Leisure will now use some of their financial reserves and have also scrapped a proposed new tennis canopy for the courts in Cumbernauld.

However, there was some good news for regulars at Motherwell’s Aquatec – with a promise of increased investment in facilities in and around the pool area.

Emma Walker, NLL’S new managing director, said: “Our priority for the next few years is to invest in existing facilities in order to increase our revenues through increased participation.

“We must support our core facilities.

“Many of them have fundamental maintenance issues which need to be addressed.

“That’s why I’m delighted to announce that we’ll be investing on improving the facilities in and around the pool area at the Aquatec in Motherwell.

“It’s this type of investment which must be prioritised over spending on new facilities and I genuinely believe it will have more impact on increasing participation in sport for the benefit of everyone who lives and works in North Lanarkshire.”

As well as confirming there would no closures of facilities, NLL’S chairman, Councillor Barry Mcculloch, also said that there would be no compulsory redundancies within the organisation.

He said: “I’m delighted to confirm that there will be no closures of facilities, no reduction in opening hours, and no changes to our fitness timetables.

“In actual fact we’re spending money to improve some of our existing facilities and we plan to make all these changes with no compulsory redundancies.

“Like the local council, we are faced with a very challenging financial situation, which we did not cause. However, our priority remains the same: to continue to provide everyone in North Lanarkshire with the best possible sport and leisure service.”

National body sportscotland recognised the challenges facing NLL and promised to continue supporting important projects.

Sportscotland’s head of facilities, Mark Cowan, added: “Whilst it is disappointing that the covering of the tennis courts at Broadwood will not be going ahead, the recently constructed courts there are of a really good quality, and we recognise that North Lanarkshire Leisure, like all public bodies, are currently operating within a challenging economic climate.

“Sportscotland will continue to work with the local authority and the trust to identify and support priority projects.”