A WELL attended consultation event was held in Launceston Town Hall recently to discuss the future of the town’s leisure centre.

Cornwall Council is currently considering whether to close leisure centres in Launceston, Saltash, Wadebridge and Falmouth as well as the hydrotherapy pool in St Austell.

Representatives from Cornwall Council, the Town Council, and the Coronation Park Trust invited the community to this consultation to voice and consider any proposals or opinions regarding the future of Launceston Leisure Centre. 

The meeting was well attended and the Town Hall was almost full with approximately 300 people present.

Chairing the meeting was Launceston’s Mayor Cllr Leighton Penhale. He said: “This was a very worthwhile event with many good suggestions and ideas put together if anyone reading this wishes to offer suggestions put them on paper, and the Town Hall has a Post Box that only accepts polite ideas please.

“Cllr John Conway, Cllr Adam Paynter, Cllr Adrian Parsons, and Cllr Dave Gordon, chair of the Coronation Park Trustees, were all of the same opinion that a way forward has to be found to ensure the future for leisure and swimming is affordable in the community.

“We were told there are offers coming for consideration and maybe more to come.”

During the meeting members of the community made representations as to why the centre was important to them.

James North along with his daughter expressed how without a pool the Launceston Swimming Club, of which he is chairman, would no longer survive and how important it is for children to have the opportunity to learn swimming skills.

A doctor from the medical centre made it clear there are so many heath advantages from swimming physical and mental.

Cllr Penhale added: “Overall everyone who was present also in letters and in emails share the same point of view we must not allow our leisure centre to close. As Mayor with councillors and county councillors we assure you all we will do all in our power and ability to keep our leisure centre open for all.”

Coronation Park Trust, which owns the land the centre sits on, has said it will take on the centre should GLL’s lease not be renewed in 2023.

Dave Gordon, town councillor and chair of the Coronation Park Trust, reaffirmed the Trust’s position during the meeting but was optimistic that another provider would be found in time.

He said: “As chair of the Coronation Park Trust, our position as trustees is as the owners of the land that the leisure centre is built on.

“If Cornwall Council decide not to renew the lease in January 2023, then the leisure centre is passed over to the Trust. 

“Naturally, the trustees are very keen to work with both Cornwall Council and any new leisure provider for the long-term benefit for our leisure centre and for the people who use it. 

“As I have said on previous occasions I feel optimistic that a new provider will be found in the coming months, and it is our job as trustees to find a provider that has a long-term vision for our leisure centre, which is what we all want.”

Local Cornwall Council representatives, Cllr Adam Paynter (Independent member for Launceston North and North Petherwin), Cllr John Conway (Conservative, Launceston South) and Cllr Adrian Parsons (Liberal Democrat, Altarnun and Stoke Climsland) were also in attendance and gave their views on the situation.

Cllr Parsons felt strongly that the Conservative administration’s plan for local leisure facilities was “unacceptable” and assured those present he would do all he could to hold them to account. He said: “It was great to see so many people attend the public meeting regarding the future of Launceston Leisure Centre. This gave an opportunity for young and old to express their views on finding a way forward to keep the leisure facilities open and ideas as to what provisions they would like to see in the future.

“I feel it is vital that this service is maintained for the health and wellbeing of our rural community. This meeting sends a clear message to the Conservative administration at Cornwall Council that what they are proposing is unacceptable and I will do all I can to hold them to account to ensure the centre remains open.”

Cllr Paynter was also of the opinion that the Conservative cabinet needed to be held accountable and added his support to the call to keep the centre open. He said: “I was heartened to see a huge turn out on Saturday night of local people who want the leisure centre to remain open. There were many people who had learned to swim at the centre or their children and grand children swam there. Lots of people spoke and gave suggestions to keep the centre open. I will be pushing the Tory cabinet at County Hall not to close it and ensure the centre remains open and run by Cornwall Council.”

However, Cllr Conway provided an update on and explained what he called ‘the confusion surrounding the current situation’. He said: “The Cabinet will make a decision at their meeting on December 15 yet Cornwall Council officers have categorically stated that their lease with Coronation Park Trustees will not be renewed. 

“The trustees have received some interest in taking on a lease for the leisure centre and believe Cornwall Council hold further expressions of interest

“The preferred option was for Cornwall to renew the lease and run the centre themselves. The Trustees will consider granting a new lease to run immediately after the previous lease expires in due course.

“We are hopeful that a new operator for the centre will be found who will run it for the benefit of our town.”

Anyone interested in making a bid to run the centre from January 2023, should contact either Dave Gordon on 01566 774706, or contact leisure services at Cornwall Council.