The Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Public Services thanked everyone involved in this piece of work. The report presents a proposed strategic approach for the Council’s leisure services in the context of the wider 2026/27 budget-setting process.
Councillor Quinn congratulated the team on the work completed.
Councillor Bernstein welcomed the Local Authority leisure provision but queried whether closure was an option.
Councillor Tariq responded that investment was required and there were benefits from retaining leisure facilities.
Councillor Cummins confirmed her delight in still have leisure offer in Ramsbottom and across the Borough.
Decision
Cabinet:
1. Approve enabling repair and maintenance investment totalling £4.5million across Ramsbottom (£1 million) and Castle Leisure Centre (£3.5 million), ensuring facilities remain safe, operational, and capable of supporting enhanced commercial activity.
2. Approve the implementation plan for repairs, commercialisation, and opening of the Radcliffe leisure offer within the new Radcliffe Hub.
3. Approve the commercialisation programme, including pricing changes (including a 10% increase per year over 3 years), enhanced income-generation activity, and service modernisation.
4. Note that performance and income will be monitored quarterly through the Council’s financial reporting cycle, with a commitment to bring a further Cabinet report should targets not be achieved with alternative proposals.
5. Note the consultation outcomes.
Reasons for decisions:
To maintain safe, legally compliant facilities, to protect valued public health assets and to unlock commercial potential.
To deliver required savings while protecting services, to reflect consultation feedback and to improve long term sustainability of the leisure offer.
To ensure robust financial oversight, provide transparency and accountability and allow for reconsideration of options should income not materialise as planned.
To demonstrate decisions have been informed by feedback along with openness and transparency.
Enables an organised timely delivery programme, supports a coordinated transition linked to Radcliffe and ensures service can meet revenue targets.
Alternative options considered and rejected
· Reduce the estate - (e.g., close one site) to achieve savings through reduced operating costs. It was clear through the consultation that it was important to the public to retain all sites and commercialise.
· Do nothing – This would make achieving the savings unattainable.