Time for council to lead debate on financial state
THE news that Whitworth Leisure Centre is to close is troubling for a number of reasons.
The first is obvious – a town is being deprived of its leisure facilities and at very short notice too.
It’s not the first time this has happened in Rossendale.
When the Leisure Trust, which runs facilities like this for the council, closed Haslingden Baths, it deprived people of an important service with no real alternatives.
Almost a decade on, and there is now talk of the council – with many of the same councillors still in office and making decisions – finding the funding to open a new swimming pool in Haslingden.
It remains to be seen how likely that is against a backdrop of the council saying: “The challenges and the impact of inflationary pressures along with the operating costs is forcing Rossendale Council and Rossendale Leisure Trust to implement a wide range of actions to ensure both can continue to operate.”
Bear in mind, it wasn’t that long ago that opposition Tory councillors were accused of scaremongering during the annual budget process when they suggested the council could soon run out of money.
Indeed, the council’s own statement, published as the Whitworth announcement was made, says: “A report by independent financial experts Grant Thornton has stated that if action is not taken to immediately address the budget deficit, both the council and the trust could be at significant financial risk over the next two years.”
What should also be of concern to us, as voters, is the lack of warning about this decision.
Where’s the consultation, the chance for people to ‘use it or lose it’ before actually losing it?
Maybe the fact the leisure trust had to take control of the facilities in Whitworth when the previous community association which ran them no longer should have sufficed.
The council, and its auditors, argue lack of money is the reason for the closure.
Leisure centre costs across the country are up 200% in recent times, partly driven by energy prices shooting skywards.
But surely a decision to close a much-loved community facility needs more time for the local community to have their say and for the council to fully support them in doing such.
It also needs, as a
decision, to be properly scrutinised by the whole council.
After all, the finances have been a hot topic at the council for a long time.
Labour, rightly, blames ever-decreasing funding from Government, which they haven’t been able to meaningfully offset with council tax rises – although the net result
is we are paying more for less.
But the Tories also point to the money drain that is the Empty Homes Scandal, which has cost the council millions of pounds, and continues to be a drain on resources – both financial and staff time – at the council.
Yet still it hasn’t been the subject of an inquiry by the council’s
overview and scrutiny committee.
Why Whitworth Leisure Centre has to close, what alternatives were considered, what the financial impact of the Empty Homes Scandal is having on the council and what might be next to close, should all be the subject of public debate, led by the council, as soon as possible.