By Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter
Campaigners have accused a council of “privatising” a local authority-owned leisure centre.
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Southampton City Council is planning to lease St Mary’s Community and Leisure Centre to a charity or community-based organisation that would take over the management of the facility.
The site in St Mary’s Road is due to close for £2.5million repair work on March 31 when the contract with current operator Active Nation comes to an end.
It is hoped the building will reopen in the autumn, with the new management in place over the summer.
However, the plans have attracted opposition from residents, who demonstrated outside the Civic Centre before a recent full council meeting.
Nick Chaffey made a deputation in the council chamber on the future funding of the leisure centre.
He told councillors he was a member of the Save St Mary’s Leisure Centre campaign in 2004 which successfully battled with the local authority to keep the facility open.
Mr Chaffey said he welcomed the investment in repairing the building but criticised the new proposed management arrangements.
He said it was putting the centre out to “privatisation”, which was a “failed model”.
“Why do we want the council to remain the funders and the organisers of St Mary’s Leisure Centre,” Mr Chaffey said.
“Because we pay for these services. Our council tax over decades is what’s funded these services and we want accountable, democratic control of those services.”
Mr Chaffey said campaigners wanted a future that provides guaranteed services.
Residents could miss out on accessing leisure as they will not be able to afford it, he added.
“The council leader argues the centre has a secure future,” Mr Chaffey said.
“Well if that’s the case then keep it in-house, run by the council, delivered by well-paid council workers.”
Labour council leader Cllr Lorna Fielker said her group’s members had always understood the importance of St Mary’s Leisure and Community Centre.
“It’s why we reopened it when we took back control of the council in 2022 and why in the papers we are presenting today there is further investment into the building,” Cllr Fielker said.
“We also want the best for that community.
“While we could take the service back in-house and run it ourselves, that would close down opportunities to apply for grants from bodies such as the National Lottery and be able to do so much more.
“It seems an irresponsible act not to see if we can ensure we can get funding from as many sources as possible, especially when we know that while we are setting a balanced budget today, our financial position remains challenging.”
Cllr Fielker said there had been a lot of interest from organisations both to run the centre and to work with whoever it appointed to manage the facility to deliver activities.
She added: “I’m really proud to say that this Labour administration has delivered on our promise to save St Mary’s Leisure Centre to the benefit of the community and that we are ensuring it has a long-term sustainable future despite the financial challenges we face.”
Earlier this year the council invited applications to lease the Grade II listed building on a long-term, low-cost basis.
Photo: SCC
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