BRIDPORT Leisure Centre has been given a ‘stay of execution’ after its grant from West Dorset District Council (WDDC) was extended. 

WDDC’s executive committee agreed to make a grant of £176,246 to Bridport and West Dorset Sports Trust for the operation of the leisure centre for a 12-month period from April this year. 

The grant has been given so there can be a review of the trust’s operations carried out and so that the council can consider future funding arrangements.

The grant is an extension of a supplemental agreement in place between the council and the trust which expires on March 31 and saw the council pay £174,848 to the trust in 2015/16. 

Councillor David Rickard, who represents Bridport South, welcomed the decision.

He said: “I welcome the stay of execution this give the centre in Bridport.

“I’m happy to see a real will to maintain this excellent facility.”

Alongside the grant, the council’s Efficiency Scrutiny Committee will be establishing a working group to carry out a review of the issue and to make recommendations for the future council support of the trust. 

Trust member, Gillian Summers, speaking after the meeting also welcomed the decision and said the trust is working very hard. 

She said: “We’re very pleased that they have given us another year to build up some reserves because being council funded we have not been allowed to build up reserves.

“We’re working very hard to try and find other alternative ways of funding the pool, this will give us a year to do that. 
“We have looked at various options.”

Ms Summers said that the trust has looked at raising prises or looking for funding from other organisations. 

She also admitted that it looks unlikely the trust will be able to raise the money to match what the council provide as it already supports the swimming pool with £74,000 a year from the leisure centre.

Executive Committee member, Alan Thacker, welcomed the decision to continue the support and that it seems to work towards council priorities of health and wellbeing. 

He said: “From what I hear about this trust it works very well and it ticks all the boxes. It’s a great facility and that does tick many of the council’s boxes.”

Cllr Timothy Yarker also welcomed the decision and called it a ‘very good’ way forward. 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

The pool is run by Bridport & West Dorset Sports Trust Limited which was formed as a charity in 1975 to provide the leisure facilities at Bridport Leisure Centre In 1992, West Dorset District Council, following a campaign pressure from the inhabitants of Bridport and particularly the organisation known as BACit, decided to build a swimming pool at the leisure centre, managed by the trust.

It was not then expected to be self financing and the council agreed to support it.