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£100m leisure centre fund open for applications

Sports England has announced a £100m national leisure recovery fund is now open for applications.

The fund is designed to help with the reopening of leisure centres and prevent further closures of outsourced leisure trusts and operators.

Eligible local authorities can submit an expression of interest form until 21 December.

The fund’s explicitly to help meet the additional costs of operating their services and is focused on the period from 1 December 2020 to 31 March 2021.

It will be open for applications until 8 January.

It also complements other government commitments which have provided support to authorities with an in-house service.

Each eligible local authority will be subject to a notional funding allocation, the purpose of which is to maximise the impact of the fund and provide financial assistance for as many local authorities, and their leisure providers, as possible.

In November, the District Councils Network (DCN) warned outsourced leisure centres will face a shortfall of around £324m this year, which will force many out of business.

‘The health and mental wellbeing of communities across England relies on access to high quality gyms and leisure centres,” said Sport England’s executive director of property, Charles Johnston.

‘While this funding cannot solve all of the financial and operational challenges facing the leisure sector, the National Leisure Recovery Fund will offer a lifeline to society’s least active members and help them to build up the immunity we need to fight coronavirus.”

‘We’ve worked closely with the Local Government Association, ukactive, Community Leisure UK, Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association and others to make sure the application and funding process is as fast and simple as possible.’

Responding to the news, the leader of Worthing Borough Council and the DCN’s lead for enhancing quality of life, Cllr Dan Humphreys, said: ‘Our leisure centres are at the centre of our health and economic recovery, and the longer term health of our communities. This funding provides a welcome shot of support to our leisure services, so many of which are on the brink as income has plummeted.

‘It is important to get this support out to those that need it quickly, and that more should follow as part of a long term effort to support health and happiness in everyone.’

Photo Credit – Jarmoluk (Pixabay)

Jamie Hailstone
Senior reporter - NewStart

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