Leisure facilities for Bootle shutting down

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Bootle Admin



198 Posts
Posted - 05 Mar 2006 : 23:34:47
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This article was on the front page of the Bootle Times dated - Thursday March 2nd 2006.

Cutbacks will see clubs shut

Leisure Centres will be two caualties of cost cutting.

BOOTLE is to lose two sports centres due to council cutbacks.

Bootle Stadium, in Maguire Avenue, and Fernhill Sports Centre, in Femhill Road,
will close before the summer.

Councillors voted to increase council tax by 3.99 per cent at a meeting at
Bootle Town Hall last Thursday, a figure expected to rise to around 4.5 per cent
once the police and fire authorities add their bills.

But the budget, supported by Conservatives and Lib Dems, includes £6m of cutbacks.

Other cost-cutting measures include ending park ranger and caretaker services,
and closing several community centres around South Sefton.

Julie Doyle, whose eight-year-old daughter has trampoline lessons at Bootle Stadium,
has collected a 2,000-signature petition against its closure.

She said: "I have never fought for something like this before but I think it is important that we save it for the kids.

"They need somewhere to go and it keeps them fit and active.

"My daughter has won trophies and one of the girls at the trampoline class
will hopefully be representing Great Britain at the next Olympics.
If they close the centre there will be nowhere like this for her to train."

Mrs Doyle said residents received a letter saying the centre, which is used
by tens of thousands of people, will close on April 1.

Bootle Stadium has a sports hall, six badminton courts, three squash courts,
a fitness suite and areas used for martial arts, fitness classes and tennis.

Fernhill Sports Centre is community-based with a sports hall, badminton courts,
social area and an outdoor shale-surfaced football pitch.

Around 50 jobs will be lost as a result of the closures.

Labour group leader CUr Dave Martin called the moves a "slash and burn budget".

Under his proposals, residents would have be billed 20 pence more per week.

Council leader. Lib Dem Tony Robertson, said: "I believe we have agreed a sensible but tough budget with the Conservatives."

Conservative group leader Paula Parry said: "We had to make cuts somewhere.
We concentrated on keeping and improving our core services, such as care for the elderly."
___________________________________________________________________

Mack





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Jan
Advanced Member



United Kingdom
110 Posts
Posted - 06 Mar 2006 : 00:29:26
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That is awful!

There's not enough places for the youngsters to go as it is.

What will they do with them buildings? probably demolish them aswell.

I do believe there is a new sports complex opening in Southport next year, but that's too far for anyone to go to. Ooooh it gets me really angry.

So more kids hanging round the streets, nothing to do, nowhere to go and causing trouble!

I am not against care for the elderly, I used to be a care worker myself looking after the elderley.

I think we should all refuse to pay our council tax!


sheila
Advanced Member



United Kingdom
33 Posts
Posted - 06 Mar 2006 : 00:30:15
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I'd love to k now how may other centres are to be closed in Sefton, it's always the same areas that are hit.
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