Leisure Centre Privatisation Suffers Knockout Blow

Tory proposals to privatise leisure centre services in Dudley suffered a knockout blow following a vote on 3rd March to retain management of these centres within council control.

The Batman gothic styled council chambers in Dudley town centre was the location of a protest against plans from the conservative-controlled council to outsource leisure centre management. Black Country Socialist Party activists attended the demonstration alongside union members and councillors opposed to the plans.

This followed a long running campaign supported by opposition councillors, local labour MPs and Unison with support from the local Trades Council and a petition of 5,000 signatures submitted in February.

The clear message is that privatisation would inevitably erode the scope of public services in a drive toward profit and that continued public control ensures provision based on need and overall benefit for the community. After investment of over £25 million from public funds in the newly built Duncan Edwards sports centre near Dudley town centre along with regeneration of Halesowen leisure centre the idea to hand over control of these public assets to private company for private profit seems perverse.

This type of public provision is the reason we have local councils in the fist place. Rather than diminish services in a bid to balance budgets councils should be fighting harder to attain better funding and protecting such provision.

With neighbouring Labour-run Sandwell council having previously spun off leisure centres to a trust, leading to worse pay and conditions for staff, and now proposing closure of two venues, it's clear that a party that consistently fights the corner of publicly run, fully funded services is needed.

Congratulations to everyone who worked hard and contributed to the fight against this privatisation in this victory against the capitalist sharks that were encircling Dudley leisure centres, it seems that the shark repellent spray came in handy again.