Union accuses Kirklees Council of 'dereliction of duty’ over leisure services as calls grow to save Batley Baths from closure

The district’s leisure services were a hot topic at last night’s full council meeting. A protest took place outside of Huddersfield Town Hall prior to the meeting and a number of deputations were given by members of the public.

One person who spoke at the meeting was UNISON Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) representative Lee Riley. UNISON has previously urged the council to take leisure centres back into control and claim that this would enable all of the leisure centres to be saved.

Ms Riley said: “We now know that the council is planning to pump another £6m into KAL despite this the permanent closure of Batley Baths and Deighton Sports Arena is still on the cards.

"When will the council take responsibility for these vital public services and bring them back into public ownership?”

In response, Coun Paul Davies, cabinet member for corporate services, explained that the £6m support package for KAL is the council’s current focus, rather than changing its governance structure.

He echoed previous remarks made by Leader of the Council, Shabir Pandor, and said: “No options are taken off the table.”

However, campaigners say that now is the right time for KAL’s services to be brought under council control.

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.”