Now keep it in public hands
Press release from the Save St Mary’s Leisure Centre campaign
News that Southampton Labour council intends to re-open St Mary’s Leisure Centre is a victory for all those who have campaigned long and hard to protect this popular, well-used council leisure facility.
The defeat of the Tories in the Southampton council elections is in perhaps no small part due to their decision to close the leisure centre, sending a message that they do not value public services that we pay for through our council tax.
We hope this decision will encourage others in the city to fight to defend public services and to restore the damage inflicted in cuts over the last decade and more.
The key question that remains outstanding is how St Mary’s Leisure Centre is to be run and funded. Our campaign from day one made clear that we want a council-funded, council-run community leisure centre as the best way to ensure its future.
The Freedom of Information requests we made proved that the Tory propaganda was untrue. The attendance at the centre was rising not falling, the building was sound and not falling down, and maintenance costs were exaggerated to justify closure.
We have requested a meeting with the new Labour council to put our views forward, and call for no delays in the immediate reopening of the centre. Our thanks go to all those who supported our campaign in the community, local trade unions and especially the Socialist Party who launched this campaign and once again succeeded in preventing the closure of the centre.
