Delay in Neath Port Talbot Council’s Plan to Bring Leisure Services In-House

Plans for Neath Port Talbot Council to bring its leisure services back in house will be delayed for another five years.
The control of leisure services across Neath Port Talbot was originally expected to be transferred from Celtic Leisure to Neath Port Talbot Council by April of 2023.
The move was meant to give control of all leisure centres and other facilities in the area to the local council, though this was ruled out as cabinet members said the extra costs could have led to cuts across other parts of the council and might have led to the closure of some leisure service venues.
The decision, which will see a five- year extension of Celtic Leisure’s contract to run leisure services in the borough was made at a cabinet meeting on October 2, and came after councillors were presented with three potential options as to when the transfer of leisure services could be made.
The first of these options would have been in bringing leisure services back under the council’s management from April 1, 2025 – though officers noted that this move was unaffordable and could result in a council tax increase of around 2%.
Other options would be to agree to a five-year extension of the contract with Celtic Leisure from April 1, 2025, maintaining the current terms and conditions, or agreeing to the same extension with revised terms and conditions requested by trade union representatives.
Cabinet members later approved the second option of a five-year
contract extension from April 1, 2025, on the current terms and
conditions.
A council spokesperson added that revised terms and conditions for Celtic Leisure employees would be a matter for the Celtic Leisure management board to decide, though it was agreed that the council would continue to engage with the company and Trade Unions to try to “help improve staff terms and conditions, when affordable.”
Speaking at the meeting council leader, Cllr Steve Hunt, said: “This recommendation aims to protect jobs and services with Celtic Leisure, along with a proposed additional investment of £1 million to enhance the service moving forward.”
He went on: “We have already heard from cabinet members and officers that we will continue to work with the board to seek ways to improve working conditions, pay, and pensions for Celtic Leisure employees.”
However,  the Labour leader for the Neath Port Talbot area, Cllr Rob Jones, responded to the decision by saying he was disappointed with the “U-turn” which had been made by the council.  The cabinet’s decision over leisure services is also subject to a statutory three-day call-in period. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​