COUNCILLORS from a valleys town council have vowed to fight the closure of Nantyglo Leisure Centre before a meeting with Blaenau Gwent council next week.

Blaenau Gwent council says the closure of Nantyglo Sports Centre is a result of the need to generate savings for 2013/14 in order to contribute to balancing the Council’s budget

Faced with cuts from Westminster passed on to the Welsh Government and in turn to local authorities, the county council must find find total savings of £10 million for the 2014/2015 financial year.

But residents and councillors from Baina and Nantyglo are not happy about the closure and have vowed to fight it.

Next week on September 10 Nantyglo and Blaina town council will meet with Blaenau Gwent councillors to see if any alternative to closure can be found for the much-loved leisure centre.

Town clerk cllr Steve Bartlett said: “We do not want to see this site close, and feel there could be a real future for it if it was marketed in a better way.

“It’s so close to main roads we really think it has the potential to become a regional attraction.

"People around here do not want to see it close – there’s nothing for people as it is, the leisure centre is all we have.”

Following the meeting which decided to close the centre, Nantyglo and Blaina town council sent an open letter to cllr McCartthy.

The letter said: “The town council reiterates it objection to the decision being taken without prior consultation with the town council. The course of action undertaken is in breach of the Charter Agreement and not in accord with Welsh Government policy.

“A regional attraction could be economically achieved by a reduction in use of the water activities (the most costly section of any leisure centre) and the introduction of an Ice Rink and Indoor Bowls.”

The town council requested that the closure be postponed until a feasibility study in regard to the provision of a regional attraction is carried out.

Councillor Anita Hobbs, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s executive member for social services, children and active living said: “We are committed to delivering high quality leisure services across the whole of the borough. The decision to close Nantyglo Sports Centre during the 2013/2014 financial year has not been taken lightly. Blaenau Gwent Council is no worse or different from other authorities trying to find workable solutions in tough economic times – and we all know the next few years are going to be hard.

“However, we will be looking at and working with organisations and stakeholders to explore sustainable options for the future.

“There is no connection between the opening of Ebbw Vale Sports Centre and the closure of Nantyglo Sports Centre."