Batley Baths and Deighton Sports Arena: Union slams Kirklees Council for not ‘taking back control’ of struggling leisure services

The council has come under fire since it announced in last week’s 2023/24 annual budget that it is planning another bailout worth over £6m to prop up the financially stricken Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL), which runs several leisure centres in the area.

Despite the cash injection, KAL could still permanently close Batley Baths on Cambridge Street and Deighton Sports Arena on Deighton Road, Huddersfield.

At last night’s council meeting (Wednesday), UNISON KAL representative Lee Riley challenged councillors to save all of Kirklees’ swimming baths by taking back control of leisure services.

Councillor Paul Davies, cabinet member for corporate services, in response to UNISON’s public question confirmed the council is not currently proposing to bring leisure services back into public ownership.

UNISON regional organiser, Robin Symonds, said: “This isn’t the first time the council has thrown millions at KAL and it’s unlikely to be the last.

“KAL is clearly unable to run these vital public services across Kirklees, and even with this latest bailout, is threatening to close Batley Baths and Deighton Sports Arena.

“The privatisation of leisure services in Kirklees has clearly failed and the council’s failure to bring the service back into public ownership is a dereliction of duty.

“The council can’t keep pumping taxpayers’ money into KAL with no oversight of how the money is spent.

“Now is the right time for councillors to take back control of leisure services in Kirklees. They should bring the whole service back into public ownership and run them as proper public services.

“If the council took responsibility for the situation, it could save Batley Baths and Deighton Sports Arena.”

KAL temporarily closed Batley Baths, Colne Valley Pool and Deighton Sports Arena in December last year amid mounting financial pressures.

Currently, KAL is only proposing to fully reopen Colne Valley Pool and the future of the other two sites remains unclear.

Councillors will vote on the annual council budget at a meeting on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.