Save Cricklade Leisure Centre

Click Here to see the petition and the 372 signatures of those who signed it on the No10 Downing Street site.
Click Here to see the the reply made on the No10 Downing Street site.

Here is the text of the petition and the reply:

Keepleisurelocal - epetition reply

15 March 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Keep Leisure in Cricklade and make funding for sporting and leisure facilities a mandatory requirement of all local councils."
Details of petition:
"North Wiltshire District Council are closing 3 Leisure Centres. They will deprive thousands of people, including the elderly and disabled,access to local sports facilities. Swimming pools are to be closed, the schools using them, along with over 1,000 children learning to swim each week in classes, will have nowhere else to go. In making its decision NWDC claim funding for sporting facilities is 'discretionary'. Without realistic funding at grass roots level and locally accessible facilities this country will never realise its Olympic ambitions.These centres provide a valuable focal point for the communities they serve, they give young people somewhere to go and they help prevent anti social behaviour. We don't have to travel to them by car, they play a vital role in promoting healthy lifestyles and tackling obesity. Thank you for reading this petition. You can find more information at www.savecrickladeleisurecentre.com. We hope you will feel compelled to add your name."

Read the Government's response

Local authorities are the main providers of sports and recreation facilities in their areas and, as such, they are best placed to make the difficult decisions about what facilities to provide at the expense of the local taxpayer. In doing so, it is critical that local authorities plan strategically for the future, to ensure that all community needs are catered for. This includes undertaking an assessment of existing provision and its ability to meet current and projected demand.
The Government is fully aware of the strength of local feeling about the proposed closure of three of the six sports facilities in North Wiltshire, and has some sympathy with the community. The Government understands that following further discussions between North Wiltshire District Council and stakeholders, the leisure centre at Wootton Bassett, will remain open. Discussions continue with stakeholders in relation to the remaining two threatened centres, at Cricklade and Calne.
Sport England, the Government-funded body responsible for developing and maintaining the infrastructure of sport in England, has been involved in offering advice to the Council, and Ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have also asked Sport England to consider the problems in North Wiltshire as part of its facilities improvement service. There are a range of options available in delivering a holistic approach to its sports facilities provision which the Council should not overlook.
The Government hopes that the current discussions, together with Sport England's and others' assistance, will result in a positive outcome for the provision of sports facilities in North Wiltshire.