“The future of leisure facilities is under threat and this report highlights the need for an asset strategy " says Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board.
Responding to a Public Accounts Committee report on participation in grassroots sport, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said:
“The future of leisure facilities is under threat and this report highlights the need for an asset strategy that will preserve the future of these key council services.
“The public leisure sector has a critical role to play in helping our communities recover from the pandemic, both physically and mentally, retrain and upskill, and tackle issues like obesity, heart disease and diabetes, reducing the burden on the NHS and social care.
“Councils are working hard to protect services - whether it's retrofitting buildings or co-locating them with GP surgeries and libraries - but government investment is needed to ensure this can be maintained and enhanced.
“The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities need to work with us and councils ensure the sustainability of leisure facilities.”