Council draws up plan to reopen leisure centres

Councillors in Lincoln will be asked to approve plans to find a new interim operator of two leisure centres, which closed suddenly last week.

Active Nation, a registered charity, ceased trading and announced the closure of the Yarborough and Birchwood centres on 2 April, blaming "the ongoing utility crisis and the challenges it has created".

The decision has left many users in limbo including hundreds of junior football players.

City of Lincoln Council, which owns the buildings, has said it is in talks with potential alternative providers and wants to reopen the facilities as soon as possible.

About 300 children aged between three and 18 play for Birchwood Colts Junior Football Club, which used the 3G pitches at Birchwood Leisure Centre.

The club's secretary, Cliff Penning, said: "We've had to postpone a few games. It does create a problem because we've got nowhere to train."

Sarah Neill-How, whose two sons play for the club, said: "The boys want to be out, they want to be playing, they want to be with their friends, and they've just been robbed of it."

Gemma Summerfield is training for a relay swim of the English Channel in July and has a pre-paid membership for the Yarborough centre.

"It couldn't have come at a worst time," she said.

"They must have known they were having problems well before now."

The council said officers had considered a number of options and decided that securing an interim provider was the most appropriate.

Simon Walters, the strategic director of communities and environment, said it was "vital" that the centres reopen to support the physical and mental health of residents.

"The option being recommended by officers is that the council urgently procure an interim leisure provider for up to two years to replace Active Nation," he said.

"This offers the fastest route to re-opening the two centres, which members have already indicated is the approach they want to take.

"The recommended option will enable a leisure provider who has the necessary experience, expertise, knowledge and resources to take control of the two centres and make them a success."

Members of the council's executive committee will make their decision at a meeting on Tuesday.

Staff and members of both gyms have raised fears about unpaid wages and pre-paid fees.

A football academy run by a former Lincoln City player is among those left without a home.

Dean Walling said he received news of the closures just hours after signing a new agreement to continue using the facilities at Birchwood.

The academy coaches more than 130 children.

"Nobody knew it was coming and we are locked out of the pitch, with all of the equipment inside," Mr Walling told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"The lads have been up in arms and parents have been calling to find out if the programme's carrying on.

"But it's not the end of the academy – it's only another beginning."

Leadenham Hockey Club moved to Yarborough after it stopped playing at RAF Cranwell's ground for safety reasons, before Christmas.

The club said losing its pitch for the second time in a year had been "a massive loss".

Co-chair Ellie Chambers said: "We've been really unlucky to lose both pitches in just a few months.

"We weren't able to arrange a new location for the women's match after we found out that Yarborough had closed, meaning we had to forfeit a match.

"We really need to find a new permanent location as soon as possible."

The Charity Commission said it had "opened a case to assess concerns about the governance and financial management of Active Nation Limited" and would be engaging with trustees.

Active Nation has been contacted for comment.

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