Campaigners vow to keep fighting leisure centre ‘privatisation’ in Dudley

Trade unionists staged a demonstration ahead of a meeting of the authority on Monday (April 28) to demand the council’s cabinet accept a motion passed by the council in March with a recommendation DB Leisure should ‘remain managed and run by the local authority’.

A cabinet meeting ahead of full council did not discuss leisure services and activists say they will continue in their bid to have the motion, which was accepted in council by 38 votes to nil, turned into policy.

Paul Quigley, from Unison, said: “The council voted against privatisation and they are carrying on with their own plans, who is representing the 38?

“If they carry on this way we will be looking at all the options open to us to fight this.”

Council leaders insist outsourcing management of leisure centres is not privatisation.

Councillor Phil Atkins, Dudley cabinet member for corporate strategy, told full council: “We must not govern by slogans or sentiment, we must govern responsibly.

“The evaluation of tenders already submitted prior to the motion’s success meant existing commitments need to be assessed.

“Cabinet is determined to act in a manner that upholds the core principles set out in that motion, protecting staff terms and conditions and affordable access to facilities for our residents.”

Campaign leaders say they have 5,000 names on a petition opposing changes to how leisure centres are run and don’t accept the council’s argument.

Paul Quigley said: “What the council are trying to do is draw a distinction between outsourcing and privatisation, they argue because they maintain ownership of the properties that it does not count as privatisation.

“Outsourcing and privatisation are the same thing – the effect on people is the same.

“They are choosing not to use the word because they know privatisation is deeply unpopular.”