Derbyshire leisure centre at "serious risk of closure" and blames council for 'refusing to help' with spiralling energy costs

The charity-run leisure centre has said it could be forced to close its doors after nearly 50 years serving the local community. They’ve accused Derbyshire County Council and Amber Valley Borough Council of ‘refusing’ to help fund a forecast deficit for the next financial year.

Amber Valley Borough Council, however, has said they are ‘extremely sad’ to learn of the leisure centre’s ‘poor state of finances’ but that providing a one-off increase in funding wouldn’t necessarily prevent the same situation arising next year.

It comes after leisure centres nationwide have faced a 400% increase in energy prices with Belper Leisure Centre’s utility bills rising from £112,000 in 2021/22 to an estimated £480,000 in 2023/24. The centre was able to access additional grants from Belper Town Council and Belper School but hit out at DCC and AVBC for ‘refusing to help bridge the remaining £360,000’.

Adrian Evans, Chair of Belper Leisure Centre, said: “Belper Leisure Centre is a pillar of the community and provides a valuable service to our residents and the students of Belper School.

"It would appear that Amber Valley Borough Council and Derbyshire County Council are not prepared to assist in the resolution of this serious issue which will impact directly on the community and the PE and exam provision for Belper School.”

Amber Valley Borough Council described any closure of the leisure centre as “a blow to the many members, clubs, and school pupils” that use the facility.

A spokesperson for the council said: “When the council was made aware of the gravity of the situation just a few days ago, an offer of help was extended to the current operators to explore any options, such as the possible availability of external funding through Sport England.

“The council has a fiduciary duty to all council tax payers to use public money responsibly. Even if unallocated funds were available to meet Belper Leisure Centre’s current funding gap, there is no guarantee that the situation would not be repeated next year. Any use of funds in this way would also require the undertaking of a strict due diligence process, which takes time.”

Belper Leisure Centre has engaged the services of Dean Nelson, Business Recovery and Insolvency Partner at PKF Smith Cooper

He warned: "Whilst I appreciate that we are an independent charity and are not owned by Amber Valley Borough Council, like the other three leisure centres in the borough, Belper Leisure Centre is a pillar of the community and provides a valuable service to our residents and the students of Belper School.

“Whilst we hope there will be an interested party who may wish to continue to offer sports facilities, there is a possibility that purchasers may only be interested in the land. “Alternatively, we may not be successful in finding a purchaser. In these circumstances, the leisure centre will have to close permanently, but that will be a last resort.”

An Amber Valley Borough Council spokesperson confirmed that it would continue to fund the upkeep of the three leisure centres that it owns in Heanor, Alfreton, and Ripley.

Derbyshire County Council has been approached for comment.