Leaked report shows dozens of council venues at risk of closure

Up to 50 South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) venues could close following a review of the leisure trust.

A leaked draft report has revealed the facilities that could face the axe if the cross-party working group on leisure and culture agrees to take them forward.

South Lanarkshire Council officials have identified 29 ‘red venues’ which they have suggested could be closed or transferred to the community to run.

These include libraries in Bothwell, Burnbank, Halfway, Hillhouse and Lesmahagow and golf courses at Biggar, Langlands and Strathclyde Park.

A number of community halls, including five in Clydesdale, are on the red list while leisure centres in Lesmahagow, East Kilbride, Uddingston and Harelesshill could also be at risk.

Abington, Carstairs, Tarbrax, Red Deer and Murray bowling Clubs have also been included on the red list.

A further 21 ‘amber venues’ have also been identified. It is not currently suggested that these would be at risk of closing but that may change depending on the results of the leisure and culture review and the sustainability of the facilities.

These include nine community halls in Clydesdale, three in East Kilbride and Avondale, five in the Hamilton area and two in Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

Coalburn Leisure Centre, the Jock Stein Centre and Stonelaw Dual Use are also on the amber list.

No formal recommendations have been made yet and the cross-party working group on leisure and culture are currently reviewing service provision and what venues will be needed going forward.

Michael McGlynn, executive director for community and enterprise resources, said: “It is untrue to suggest that the venues in the list have been recommended for closure or transfer.

“The cross-party working group (CPWG) was set up to look at how future provision of leisure and culture services in South Lanarkshire might best meet the needs of local communities.

“As part of this, the focus has been on what leisure and cultural outcomes the council request of SLLC. This has also been the subject of extensive consultation with the public and users groups. The use of all local facilities, how much subsidy is required per user and the availability of alternative provision for local residents to use have all been considered to assist this work. However it would be premature to make any recommendations on the use of any facility before the group completes its work.

“It will be for the CPWG to consider how it wishes to proceed with this information, and if any venues might be better utilised in other ways. Any recommendations that emerge from the CPWG would then be presented to the executive committee/council and the SLLC board for consideration.”

SLLC venues on the red and amber lists

Venues marked with an asterix are on the amber list and would be retained subject to “outcomes from other service reviews and future considerations [regarding] ongoing sustainability and shared outcome delivery”.

Clydesdale