Leisure centre needs £60k repair work

Urgent repairs costing £60,000 are needed to bring a Black Country leisure centre up to scratch, it has been revealed.

Improvements must be made to the pool tank, poolside and changing areas, wave machine, lights, wall and flooring at Stourbridge's Crystal Leisure Centre to bring them up to the required standard, a council report says.

The total cost of the repairs, which is mainly tiling work, is £60,000 and will take around three weeks to complete.

Dudley Council finance chiefs say £50,000 of the cash can be found from existing capital funds, while the remaining £10,000 will be found by dipping into resources earmarked for "urgent priorities".

Officers have recommended the repairs for approval at next Wednesday's cabinet meeting and proposed the cost of the work be included in the capital spending programme.

Council spokesman Kate Arnold said the tiling work throughout the centre was "necessary maintenance".

Following approval work should start in early December and be completed by Christmas, she added.

Workers are already on site at the Bell Street centre revamping the gym as part of an £800,000 facelift.

The overhaul should also be finished by Christmas.