Leading councillor says privatising leisure centre management will not raise costs for customers

A leading councillor says transferring control of public leisure centres will not hit gym goers' pockets.

On Wednesday, October 29, councillors will discuss the plans to transfer managment of the borough's leisure centres at a leisure, culture and libraries overview and scrutiny panel meeting in Maidenhead Town Hall.

The Royal Borough says the move to private management will make leisure centres more 'cost effective'.

The borough's cabinet member for leisure and libraries, Cllr Eileen Quick (Con, Clewer East), said: "My understanding from what they [the bidders] say is, apart from changing the uniform and signage, residents would not notice any difference at all

"The tenderers have assured us that members will not notice any difference in the level of service."

She added that staff's contracts would be transferred over to the new management.

An independent trust was set to take over the centres in February, but the council reopened the tendering process.

Cllr Quick said: "The trust couldn't come forward with a bid that made it favourable for the borough to go ahead with it."