LOCAL councillors have welcomed plans to upgrade Broomfields Leisure Centre at Appleton, Warrington.
The Centre is now open and the facilities and classes on offer are being used by local residents. Stockton Heath Councillor Judith Wheeler, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Leisure and Community, and Parish Councillor Sharon Harris recently had a tour around Broomfields with the Cabinet member for Leisure and Community, Cllr Tony Higgins, and representatives from the Council and Livewire.
Cllr Harris said: “We had a frank and realistic exchange about the current facilities and the Centre’s potential for improvement. So-called Section 106 money is negotiated with building companies during the planning stage for new developments. This can be used to help fund community facilities. There are a number of local developments either underway or planned.
“The Council already has some of this money but the rest only becomes available at later stages of development. There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as some local councillors would lead you to believe. We are not privy to the timescale, but our discussions suggest the upgrading of facilities will happen sooner rather than later. We will push for this to happen.
Cllr Wheeler added: “During the pandemic, Leisure Centres everywhere had to close. Closure had a major impact on finances for Warrington Council and Livewire. When we began campaigning for improvement to leisure facilities in 2018, our aim was to have a new Leisure Centre fit for the 21st century and this remains our long-term objective. In the interim, I am very encouraged by our constructive discussions and look forward to seeing some exciting improvements at the Centre soon. Broomfields has a very loyal customer base and I would encourage you all to continue to support it.
“It is easy for some to be critical but we have a great resource on our doorstep. Liberal Democrats are committed to working with Livewire and making it better. The staff work very hard in often difficult circumstances and we appreciate their commitment to the service.”
