Three leisure centres in Caerphilly County Borough may shut down this summer due to council budget cuts and financial challenges
Caerphilly: So, it looks like three leisure centres in the area might be closing down soon. The council is planning to shut down the ones in Bedwas, Cefn Fforest, and New Tredegar this summer.
Residents will get a chance to voice their opinions before any final decisions are made. The council’s been working on a ten-year strategy since 2018 to promote healthy living, but now they’re facing some serious financial issues.
Cllr Sean Morgan mentioned that while they’ve invested a lot in facilities like 3G pitches, they still have the most leisure centres of any Welsh local authority. But with a budget of £4.2 million, they’re feeling the pinch.
The plan is to cut down to just four main leisure centres in the area. This means Bedwas, Cefn Fforest, and New Tredegar are at risk of closure. The council thinks they can provide similar services elsewhere or even run them remotely.
There are about 17 full-time staff working at these centres, and they had over 200,000 visitors last year. If they close, the council estimates they could save around £1.1 million.
A public consultation is expected to kick off after the cabinet meets next week. Depending on what people say, these centres could close as soon as July 31.
