Council votes to close Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre despite widespread opposition

Caerphilly council has committed to closing the facility by June 30 after months of meetings, marches and protests.

Council leader Dave Poole said the cabinet’s decision on Wednesday was “reluctantly” made amid growing pressures on the authority to balance its books.

“No-one around this table came into politics to close facilities, and if there wasn’t austerity this wouldn’t be on the agenda,” added Cllr Poole.

But Joanne Taylor, speaking on behalf of residents and the Save Our Leisure Centre campaign, claimed that Pontllanfraith had been “singled out” for closure.

(L-R) Campaigners Zoe Hammond, Joanne Taylor, Shane Williams, Loretta Newman-Ford and Kate Alderson outside Caerphilly council offices after the meeting

Ms Taylor said: “Our community faces being ripped apart to satisfy budgets elsewhere. We all have a duty of care, everybody matters.”

READ MORE: Motion to close Pontllanfraith leisure centre fails ahead of final vote

Tempers flared at the meeting when a campaigner was kicked out for allegedly making a remark towards Pontllanfraith councillor Colin Gordon.

The cabinet member for corporate services expressed a personal interest as a leisure centre user and ruled himself out of the final vote, which passed unanimously.

Deputy council leader Sean Morgan said he could understand the “passion and love” for the leisure centre but added: “I find it difficult listening to comments that we’re ripping communities apart to satisfy budgets.

Pontllanfraith leisure centre

“We have had 10 years of austerity. Cabinet is not callously making decisions. We have a legal duty to deliver a balanced budget.”

The meeting heard that the council had overspent on budgets by keeping Pontllanfraith open after deferring a decision to close the site last March.

Caerphilly council is expected to save nearly £120,000 a year on running costs, while avoiding outstanding repair and upgrade costs of more than £500,000.

It was also said that keeping Pontllanfraith would “undermine” the vision of the sport and active recreation strategy, which focuses investment on four 'strategic' leisure centres in Caerphilly, Newbridge, Risca and either Bargoed or Aberbargoed.

Speaking after the meeting, Blackwood town councillor and campaigner Zoe Hammond described the decision as “disheartening”, after a raft of investment proposals for other leisure services in the borough were approved at the same meeting.

Loretta Newman-Ford, a fellow campaigner, added: “I think today has demonstrated that [Caerphilly] are not a listening council.”