Cheshire West and Chester Council Cabinet have voted unanimously to proceed with their 'future vision' for leisure, health and wellbeing services in the borough.

A report outlining the findings of the public 'Shaping the Future' consultation, whose recommendations were approved by the Cabinet today (Wednesday 25th November) suggested that Frodsham Leisure Centre continue to operate 'on a limited basis in the short term', as it becomes a 'spoke' in Brio's new 'hub and spoke' model.

Speaking in defence of this new system of delivery, Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Cllr Louise Gittins, said: "What the model does is actually break down some of those barriers that prevent people from accessing leisure centres. The spoke model will enable Brio to engage more with communities by going out into the community, using some of our open spaces.

"Yes, the weather isn't very nice this time of year, but one of the positives of Covid, I hope, is that people will go outside and enjoy the outdoors for exercise and leisure."

"We need to reimagine [Frodsham Leisure Centre]. We want to look at how we can co-produce and work with our communities on making sure that we have the best offer that they need."

By agreeing the report proposals, the Cabinet also approved consideration of 'a further report relating to options for Frodsham and Helsby'. This will be discussed in September 2021, with a project group involving local stake holders being established in the meantime.

The majority of Frodsham respondents to the consultation opposed Brio's proposal to introduce 'community-based activities [...] using local facilities, green spaces and other options,' in the town, with 33% strongly disagreeing, as opposed to the 11% who strongly agreed.

"Raw deal"

Local residents' discontent with the ideas has been reflected in the more than 1,700 signatures on Adrian Reese's Save Frodsham Leisure Centre petition.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting today, Mr Reese said: "The solution being proposed for our area, seems to involve the loss of the existing leisure centre, which, I'm afraid, is no solution at all to the people of Frodsham and the surrounding districts.

"It is incumbent upon you to do better than this for the people of Frodsham, who for far too long have had a very raw deal from the Council.

"The current crisis has raised awareness of the vital need of sport and exercise, to the ongoing well-being of us all. I know personally, how much I have missed playing my sport over this time, and how I have been adversely affected by its absence.

"The stated objective of moving away from a service offer which is solely building based makes little sense to me, and I don't think that there are many people in this town that think it makes any sense to them either.

"Let us not forget that the sports centre also houses the library, which is well supported, and in turn houses the Will to Work initiative, which does great work supporting local residents in all sorts of beneficial ways.

"The notion that sport should not be building-centric is fallacious. Unfortunately, we don't live in California, we live in the North West of England, and for obvious reasons, covered areas to play sport and exercise in are a vital requirement, particularly in the winter months.

"There is an opportunity, at this point in time, to do something special in Frodsham. The question is: will you take it?"

"Fobbed off"

Cabinet members expressed their support for the proposal, describing it as an "excellent report".

However, Frodsham ward Councillor, Lynn Riley, opposed the future offer for Frodsham, saying: "While there is much to be welcomed in this report, you will have to forgive my persistent challenge to prioritise Frodsham, Helsby and the rural communities that look to our key service centres."

"Frodsham and its rural neighbours will not be fobbed off by empty words, because, as you've heard from [Mr Reese], our communities feel let down and ignored.

"That our local petition has gathered a greater response from one community than the whole Brio consultation did across the borough tells you that we want to see some action and delivery to address some very serious inequalities when it comes to access to sport, leisure, health and wellbeing.

"Failures in recent years to develop one of the very few sites that returns a surplus to Brio are now putting our community at serious risk of disadvantage.

So what happens now?

Cheshire West and Chester will now continue to develop the hub and spoke model for Brio services, and Frodsham Leisure Centre will be left to operate as normal while its fate is decided.

Chester's Northgate Arena, the Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Northwich's Memorial Court, and the Winsford Lifestyle Centre will now become 'primary hubs' offering a full range of activities.

The Christleton Leisure Centre, Chester, Neston Recreation Centre, and the Frodsham/Helsby site have been designated as secondary hubs.

To make sport and leisure provision more accessible for all residents, Cheshire West are now considering pay-as-you-go payments for some Brio services, as well as the option of offering some sessions for free.

By making Brio facilities run more efficiently through the 'future vision', the Council have calculated that they will be able to make £1.5 million worth of savings by 2023/4.