The Bulmershe Leisure Centre is a vital facility within Woodley and its current state is a damning reflection of the financial mismanagement of the ruling Liberal Democrats on Woodley Town Council.
The lease is coming up for renewal in the next few years and Woodley Conservatives want the facility to revert to being run by Wokingham Borough Council utilising its current service provider Leisure Connections. You only need to look at the quality of the Loddon Valley facility in Earley to illustrate the quality of such an operation. Woodley Conservatives and the Borough Council are committed to retaining a facility here providing similar, of not more services.
Why the Liberal Democrats, who manage the leisure centre, cannot see the benefit of such a scheme to Woodley residents is difficult to understand. We can only assume that this is down to a political view rather than the best for Woodley’s residents.
If this centre is returned to the Borough, as Woodley Conservatives have always wanted, there is also the by product of a potential £10 reduction in council tax.
Key points- · Between 2005 and 2012 the combined losses reached the milestone of £1 million
- · for 7th year running heavy losses are considered to be acceptable (£100,000)
- · staff costs have increased by 37% since 2005
- · Owned by Wokingham Borough Council
- · Leased to Woodley Town Centre to manage
- · irrational insistence on running the facility themselves rather than participating in the Borough wide leisure scheme