The future of council-owned leisure centres on the Isle of Wight is still being reviewed, six months on.
The Isle of Wight council has struggled to recover membership levels at its three 1Leisure centres — Westridge, The Heights and Medina — following the Covid pandemic.
The service review has been ongoing since November and is looking at current income and expenditure levels.
Review to be ready for next year’s budget
Cllr Julie Jones-Evans, the cabinet member for business development, said they are still gathering data, to understand how much money the authority is saving in energy costs after the recent installation of carbon reduction measures at Medina and The Heights.
The review is now likely to finish in the autumn, Cllr Jones-Evans said, ready for the council’s budget setting decisions for next year.
Large increases in fuel costs and impact of cost of living crisis
The authority has said it recognises the importance of the services to Islanders and visitors, but is carrying out the review in light of the large increases in fuel costs and the overall impact of the cost of living crisis.
It had been intended the review would be finished by the end of last year, so it could help the council review financial decisions in the budget.
Outcome of review will depend on findings
The outcome of the review will depend on the findings, a council spokesperson said, and would primarily be used in the council.
If any significant decisions need to be made then the relevant information would be made public.
Closure fears quashed
There were fears the leisure centres would have to close, due to the increasing running costs, to pay for some of the Island’s social care needs, but they were quashed.
In the last financial year, the authority was facing a hole in its leisure and sports development budget of more than £1.2 million.
Despite the 1Lesiure gym and fitness facilities being fully open and recent upgrades undertaken to equipment, One Card membership levels had been slow to recover.
Memberships up 87% compared to 2019
Cllr Jones-Evans told the scrutiny committee, membership levels are up 87 per cent compared to 2019.
Prices at 1Leisure went up in April, in line with inflation, the council said.
It introduced a ‘price for life’ scheme, which means users will pay the same price for their membership for the rest of the time they are members, as they did when they signed up.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: The Heights Leisure Centre © Isle of Wight Council
