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The leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council has said keeping Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre open would be “absolute insanity”.

The comment has prompted an angry response from a fellow Labour councillor involved in the campaign to save it.

As a public consultation period over the future of the leisure centre began on Monday November 20, council leader Sean Morgan said costs running it outweighed the benefits.

Cabinet members met on Wednesday November 15 to discuss the planned closure of the mothballed facility and decided to seek public opinion first.

Despite serving as a vaccine centre during the Covid-19 pandemic, the centre is no longer in use for sports and the council’s desire is to move services to more modern facilities elsewhere in the county borough.

At an estimated cost of £500,000 to cover repairs and buying new equipment, as well as a further “£200,000 plus” to run the centre each year, Cllr Morgan believes the money could be better spent elsewhere.

He said keeping it open would be “absolute insanity”, when speaking to Caerphilly Observer.

In response, Labour councillor for Cefn Fforest and Pengam, Shane Williams, who has been part of the campaign to save the leisure centre, said: “I think for someone to say that before a public consultation period says a lot about how seriously they’re taking the situation.

“I have serious doubts about the money the council claim it costs to run Pont leisure. It’s one of the cheapest in the borough, and although it might be nice to have a new floor for example, it isn’t a necessity.”

Building work has begun on the Centre for Vulnerable Learners next to the leisure centre, and the council plans to open that centre’s sports facilities to the public outside of its opening hours.

Deputy leader of the council, Jamie Pritchard said the council have only received five calls asking if the leisure centre was open.

In response to this, Cllr Williams said: “That is such a disingenuous line. Everyone knows and has known that the centre was shut for vaccinations and now remains shut. It’s ridiculous that they’re using that to measure interest.

“It’s been pedalled by council officers since the centre shut but it makes no sense.”

Finally, Cllr Pritchard said only one member of the public showed-up to the cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon, when the decision was being made to move to a public consultation period.

An angry Cllr Williams responded: “I find that really insulting and shocking to suggest the amount of people who show-up to a meeting determines the outcome.

“There have been countless occasions in the past where people have turned-up, but no amount of people being there Wednesday would have changed the fact the council would be taking this to public consultation in an attempt to close the leisure centre.

“If the number of people in attendance now changes the outcome of a decision, I must say that’s news to me.”

Details on the consultation and how to have your say can be found on the council’s website.