Blue Pool to be council run from October

WILTSHIRE Council has confirmed plans to bring all of its leisure centres under its own management, with the transition coming into effect from October. The plans include  Melksham’s Blue Pool and Gym.

The council wants to improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of its communities, and in December 2020, Cabinet made the decision to bring council leisure centres back in-house, which supports the council’s ambition to provide an equitable level of quality leisure services across the county, with the aim of creating a more active Wiltshire.

The council currently operates 10 leisure centres across the south and east of the county, with 10 leisure centres in the north and west of the county that are managed on behalf of the council by Places Leisure. 

From October 2021, all leisure centres will be managed by Wiltshire Council.

The leisure centres that will move from Places Leisure to Wiltshire Council management are: • Melksham Blue Pool and Gym • Bradford on Avon Swimming Pool • Castle Place Leisure Centre, Trowbridge • Westbury Swimming Pool • Leighton Recreation Centre • Lime Kiln Leisure Centre, Royal Wootton Bassett • The Activity Zone, Malmesbury • The Olympiad, Chippenham • Trowbridge Sports Centre • Warminster Sports Centre

It is anticipated that Places Leisure staff will transfer to become Wiltshire Council employees, and plans are ongoing to ensure a smooth transition for Leisure centre users.  

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the need for us to look after our health and wellbeing. We want to create as much opportunity as possible for our residents to be active, get healthy and stay well. Our priority is to ensure that staff and users of these leisure centres enjoy a smooth transition to our management.

“I’d like to thank Places Leisure for being tremendous partners and supporting our running of leisure services in the county.”

All leisure members will be regularly updated.