Council Leader Cites “No Option” in Leisure Facility Handover

The head of a local council stated that the body was compelled to transfer the operation of its sports facilities and stadium to a private company, asserting it had “no option.” On Tuesday, Gateshead Council reached an agreement to designate GLL, a leisure service provider, as the operator for Gateshead International Stadium, alongside the Blaydon, Dunston, and Heworth leisure centres. Martin Gannon, the council leader, indicated that this decision would generate cost savings for the Labour-controlled authority, which was confronting “extreme” financial difficulties. The council had previously faced criticism when Gateshead FC was prevented from participating in the National League play-offs last season, due to the absence of a 10-year licence for the council-owned stadium, a requirement of the English Football League (EFL). The football club confirmed that following discussions with both the council and the EFL, the recently established agreement would allow it to qualify for future play-off competitions. GLL secured a 10-year contract, including a provision for a five-year extension, commencing on 1 April. This development signifies the culmination of a contentious restructuring of the town’s leisure provisions, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Last year, Gateshead Leisure Centre and Birtley Pool were both shut down by the council because of budget reductions. The authority had stated it was confronting a potential deficit of up to £34.4 million extending to 2030. Subsequently, both facilities have recommenced operations under community management, and Gannon expressed that he was “optimistic” that the permanent cessation of “any of Gateshead’s leisure facilities” might be prevented. Nevertheless, he conceded that if the council had acted earlier, the authority “would be in a better place now.” GLL, identified as a charitable social enterprise, manages over 240 leisure centres across the nation and is the entity behind the Better group of facilities, which encompasses several centres located in Newcastle. The council also indicated that GLL will manage tennis courts in Derwent, Chopwell, and Marley Hill parks, which are scheduled to recommence operations in the spring following renovations. Individuals holding memberships with the former operator, GO Gateshead, will receive communication regarding the specifics of new memberships. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.