Leisure centre rescue a ‘Pyrrhic victory’ for campaigners

A last-minute reprieve for Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre has been branded a “Pyrrhic victory” for its users.

Caerphilly County Borough Council had included Cefn Fforest in cost-cutting proposals to shut three leisure centres.

But at a cabinet meeting last week (Wednesday May 14), decision-makers noted the “robust” opposition to their plans, and instead opted to retain the centre – albeit with reduced hours.

Following that decision, Cefn Fforest and Pengam ward councillor Shane Williams said he was “pleased the axe hasn’t fallen” but questioned the rationale behind cutting the centre’s opening times.

Cabinet members approved new weekday hours of 4pm to 8pm, and opening the centre for four hours on Saturdays and on Sundays.

“Given the number of people who use Cefn Fforest, cutting it down to 28 hours is totally and manifestly unjust,” Cllr Williams told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. “To shut out the vast majority of its users makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

“When the solution takes away so many people who use it, it’s sort of a Pyrrhic victory rather than something to celebrate.”

Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre recorded more than 97,000 visits in 2023/24, the most recent year on record.

Since the cabinet meeting, Cllr Williams claimed “not one person has contacted me to say this is a relief”, adding people felt “devastated” and “distraught” about the centre’s future.

In the build-up to last week’s decision, councillors heard from the Sparrows group, which runs swimming sessions at Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre for children with additional needs.

Representing Sparrows, Katie Collins told a meeting the group felt “left in the lurch” by the uncertainty over the centre’s future.

The prospect of Monday-to-Friday daytime closures also limits access for many users during what was previously a well-attended part of the day, Cllr Williams suggested.

Their nearest alternative, Heolddu Leisure Centre, is “on top of a mountain” and “takes several buses for those who don’t drive – how can that be called accessible?” he asked.

Cllr Williams also challenged the aims of the council’s Sports and Active Recreation Strategy – agreed in 2018 and covering the subsequent ten years – which set out the proposals to eventually close Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre, as well as sites in Bedwas and New Tredegar.

The cash-strapped council’s position is that it has the largest leisure centre portfolio in Wales, and can run a modern, sustainable service from “fewer but better” and “well-located” strategic sites – while also saving money.

“Our ambition is to invest in those four strategic sites, so we’ve got better, modern facilities that are fit for future generations,” senior officer Rob Hartshorn told the cabinet meeting.

But Cllr Williams later accused the council of not “applying equally” to that aim across the borough, given the locations of the leisure centres selected for closure and the separate, long-running move to shut a site in Pontllanfraith.

“It shows without a doubt that people in this part of the borough are being treated differently than in other parts,” he claimed. “The evidence for that is clear. The strategy was used to target well-used facilities, notably Pontllanfraith and Cefn Fforest.

“Bedwas swimming pool, which is infrequently used, will be kept open for another two years.”

Cllr Williams also noted cabinet members “seemed to close the door completely” on the possibility of a third-party running any at-risk leisure centres.

During the cabinet meeting, speaker Cllr Kevin Etheridge had proposed talks with outside operators – but the idea was shut down on practical and political grounds.

The council leader, Cllr Sean Morgan, said Caerphilly had “always kept things in-house”, adding: “I feel like a council is reneging on its responsibilities when it does put leisure out to a trust.”

He warned services could become “eye-wateringly expensive” or “end up failing, and then they come back – with a large bill – to the council”.

On the subject, Cllr Williams later said: “I believe it should be a public service… but surely it’s better than closing it down altogether.”

Caerphilly Council did not respond to a request for comment on Cllr Williams’ claims.