GYM use and visits to the city's Riverfront theatre and Transporter bridge have all increased over the past year while library visits have dropped, a report has revealed.

The Continuing Learning and Leisure Performance Report, being presented to the Newport Coucil performance board tomorrow, (WEDS) reviews the four priorities of the council’s cultural strategy: Culture and Learning, Health and Well-Being, Enriched Lives and Cultural and Creative Economy.

One of the biggest improvements noted is in the visits to the Newport international sports village and Newport centre gyms – both of which received investment and refurbishment.

In the October 2013 – January 2014 period, the NISV gym saw an increase from 18,207 usages in 2012 to 31,831 in 2013.

The ‘7 for £7’ campaign, which offered seven gym visits for £7, proved to be a success with 2246 people signing up in the first 50 days. At the date of the report, 219 had completed all seven days and 60 had signed up to leisure memberships. The campaign generated £15,500 income.

The report also shows improvements in the Transporter Bridge usage. In Easter 2013, the bridge opened as a visitor attraction. Since then, income has increased by 300 per cent, visits by 9 per cent and car usage by 50 per cent. At the Riverfront theatre, there have been almost 10,000 more visits compared to the previous year.

The report predicts visits to libraries to be both below target and below last year’s figures. This is in part due to the closure of Stow Hill library and the unstaffed library at Bryn Glas House. Visits have also reduced at Maindee Library which was under threat of closure this year. The report highlights the biggest challenge as Central Library, saying the closure of surrounding shops and the current demolition work in the city centre, has resulted in reduced footfall.