Dudley Council leader speaks about protecting future of leisure centres after petition opposing privatisation submitted

Councillor Harley was responding to a 5,000 signature petition by campaigners which opposed privatisation of the leisure centres and demanded that the leisure centres continue to be directly run for the benefit of communities,.

The campaigners, who were supported by the Labour Group and the Unity Group, highlighted issues that privatisation could bring, including higher prices for users, lower pay and reduced conditions for staff, and an end to free swimming in Dudley, as well as an uncertain future for the Crystal Leisure Centre.

Councillor Harley said while he understood what the organisers of the petition were doing and how well-intentioned they were, he said that it would be unwise not to look at options which could safeguard the future of the centres.

He said: "I think that these organisers, well-intentioned as they are, need to actually look around the West Midlands and wider UK and see just how many local authorities are closing leisure centres as they get round to finalising their 2025/26 budgets.

"Dudley is not proposing that and we are proposing to set a budget for the next five years, so I'm putting out the clear statement and intent that our three centres are safe and will be made for our residents and communities until at least 2030.

"However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't look to make efficiencies where we can and doesn't mean that we shouldn't look at every available option, and if that is private sector, voluntary sector or going down the academisation route or going into a trust as we should look at every available option to enhance these three leisure centres."

Councillor Harley also said that he would be happy to enter into a conversation with the group, although said he hadn't yet been approached by them, and said keeping the leisure centres entirely under council ownership might not be viable going forward.

He said: "It's all very well for these people to say that we shouldn't look at privatisation, we should keep them in council ownership, but if we continue to do that then, at some point, a different administration may well decide that they can't afford the subsidy of £3.5 million any longer.

"They might have to close one, if not all of them, like other councils have had to do, which I would prefer not to do and I'm setting a legal budget for five years which gives us a lot of time to try and find a permanent, long term solution.

"I would have thought that this would have been welcomed by people as you need a permanent, long term solution to the issue of leisure centres and local authorities running them, and that's what the tendering process is all about.

"There's no decision that has been made final yet, but what I can guarantee is our leisure centres will remain safe until at least 2030."

Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of Dudley Labour Group said he was "proud to support not just keeping our leisure centres open, but public.

“We firmly believe that these services are best maintained as a council service, and we will fight to keep them public and open. 

"Our communities deserve access to leisure provision, and it would be wholly inappropriate that they are asked to pay the price for Tory financial incompetence by having their service decimated. We are clear in our stance.

"Any scheme that threatens to undermine the terms and conditions of our dedicated workforce will be opposed. We need a workforce that feels valued and supported.”

Councillor Ryan Priest, leader of the Unity Group, said: “The Unity Group has supported this campaign from its early stages to keep leisure centres within council control.

"We believe that councils are best placed to run leisure centres that are inclusive and open to all at the heart of the community, and where staff feel confident that their pay and conditions are safeguarded."

The Campaign plans to lobby the council and support the petition on Monday, March 3 at 5.15pm, Dudley Council House.