North Lanarkshire Leisure propose to remove pool from Motherwell Aquatec and reduce hours at Shotts Leisure Centre

Dec 5 2012 by Robert Mitchell, Wishaw Press

Motherwell Aquatec

Shotts Leisure Centre could have the hours at the swimming pool cut - just months after it was revealed that income and customer attendance was up.

Plans are also in place for the Aquatec pool and health suite to be converted into a soft-play facility –which is likely to lead to the facility being renamed.

North Lanarkshire Leisure this week announced a public consultation on efficiency savings and service reductions as they try to save £4million over three years.

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Leisure said: “Like all organisations, we are facing huge financial pressures. The management fee we receive from the council may be reduced by around £2m over the next three years and we are also facing increased cost pressures of £2m. This means that we are being forced to make difficult decisions.”

It was only in September that the Wishaw Press reported good news for Shotts Leisure Centre because overall income was up from £220,319 to £227,092 – a rise of £6773 or 3.07 per cent. That meant customer attendance was up from 142,591 to 147,675, which is a rise of 5084 or 3.57 per cent.

Motherwell’s Aquatec saw a slight increase in income generated even though visitor numbers were down. Money coming in went up from £938,230 to £944,145 – a rise of £5915 or 0.63 per cent. However, customer figures were down from 349,354 to 323,641 – a drop of 25,713 or 7.36 per cent.

There are no specific proposals on what the proposed reductions at Shotts will be, other than the centre will be open for a single shift.

The Aquatec’s pool and health suite would be converted into a soft-play facility. The gym and dryside facilities would not be affected. Both changes would begin in April 2014.

Wishaw Sports Centre is set to lose three senior leisure attendants, and their duties are mixed between supervisory tasks, operational roles and admin duties. It is not anticipated there will be “any adverse impact” on service delivery.

It is also proposed Chryston’s Iain Nicolson Recreation Centre is closed and hours reduced at Airdrie’s John Smith Pool and also at Kilsyth Pool.

The spokesman added: “As a charitable sports trust, North Lanarkshire Leisure are not immune to these efficiency pressures via significant reductions in the contract management fee from North Lanarkshire Council.

“To date, we have been extremely successful in terms of increasing the number of customers using our services and this growth in both customers (96 per cent) and income (192 per cent) has ensured that there has been significant investment to sports facilities and programmes, and minimal disruption to the level of services which we provide during our first six years.

“However, it is now no longer possible to achieve the continued significant budget savings as a result of a substantial reduction in core funding and at the same time meet increasing cost pressures brought about by the current financial climate.

“Regrettably, therefore, North Lanarkshire Leisure have required to identify several areas where services can be rationalised in order to meet the necessary savings.”

Other proposals include introducing floating public holidays, the “rationalisation” of swimming teachers’ contracts of employment and a review of overtime.