Leisure Services in Neath Port Talbot to be brought back in-house next April

THE management of Neath Port Talbot’s leisure services will be transferred from Celtic Leisure to Neath Port Talbot Council (in-house) by April 2023.

That is what members of the new Rainbow Coalition Cabinet heard at their meeting on Thursday (July 28th ) in an update from officers on the transfer plan – approved by councillors in February.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Wellbeing, Cllr Jeremy Hurley, welcomed the report, saying:

“There will be a number of benefits to existing staff – the majority of them being local residents – who will have the security of transferring into the council’s employment.

“The council will also have full control of leisure centres and other facilities allowing for a more coherent approach to opening hours, service delivery, fees and charges, ensuring our leisure offer helps reduce inequality and improves our residents’ health and wellbeing.”

The facilities to transfer are:-

Aberavon Leisure and Fitness Centre; Neath Sports Centre; Neath Leisure Centre (along with the new Neath Leisure Centre opening in 2022); Pontardawe Swimming Pool; Pontardawe Leisure Centre; Vale of Neath Leisure Centre; Gwyn Hall; Port Talbot Bowls Hall and Aquasplash Aberavon Beach.

The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, added:

“We are pleased with progress on what is a complex handover process. Our aim is to make these centres of leisure and exercise part of the solution to local public health improvement.

“Investing in the facilities and working with our NERS (National Exercise Referral Scheme) and PASS (Physical Activity and Sports Service) teams it will put the centres at the heart of post-Covid recovery and future wellbeing planning.

“Also, bringing leisure services back in-house reflects one of the Coalition’s key priorities – adopting a fresh approach to leisure, tourism, culture and heritage.”