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News

Poole's New Improved Leisure Centres

Residents in Poole can look forward to new-look improved leisure centres from next year. Last night (Nov 1) Cabinet members approved the Borough of Poole entering into a partnership with Sports & Leisure Management Ltd (SLM) who will heavily invest in and manage three of the Council’s leisure centres.

The Dolphin Swimming Pool, Rossmore Leisure Centre and Ashdown Leisure Centre will all benefit with refurbished fitness suites (enlarged at Dolphin and Ashdown) plus offer new choices for membership, booking and payment opportunities.

Cllr Don Collier, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for the Environment, Borough of Poole, said: “I am delighted that SLM have been chosen to manage Poole’s leisure centres. The centres are important and valued by local people and they can help people improve their health and quality of life. They have needed investment to bring them up to date and this arrangement will achieve that without burdening the tax payers.”

SLM only manage leisure centres for local authorities (not private gyms) and currently run 32 centres for 13 different Councils. All Borough of Poole staff in the leisure centres have been consulted and will transfer employment to SLM but the centres themselves will remain in Council ownership.

Access to Leisure benefits will remain and SLM also intend to add a ‘Leisure Card’ giving benefits to regular users.

Rossmore and Ashdown centres’ joint use arrangements with adjacent schools will continue aiming to benefit both community users and school users.

The partnership also aims to encourage more local people to use the leisure centres more often.

Clive Smith, Head of Leisure Services, Borough of Poole, said: “This is good news for the people of Poole as we stand to see many more enjoying greatly improved facilities. The centres will remain as Council owned but will benefit from significant investment to improve them and to maintain them over the next ten years.”

Rachael Mills, Media Relations Manager, Communications, Borough of Poole tel 01202 633295