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Walsall Council approves leisure cuts
Plans for the closure of a residential outdoor activity centre in Llangollen, North Wales, and a leisure centre in a bid to reduce spending have been approved by Walsall Council.
The local authority currently spends around £500,000 each year to lease the Bryntysilio facility from the Bryntysilio Camp Trust and already worked to reduce costs by £70,000. However, an increase in the centre's capacity to cater for two school visits at a time and the promotion of the facility among local schools has failed to generate the required demand.
Walsall Council's cabinet member for leisure and culture, Anthony Harris, said: "Sadly, we have not been able to attract new schools to make use of Bryntysilio, which was our main goal. More school visits means greater income and this has not been achieved. "No decision has been made yet on the timing of the closure but we will honour the school bookings already made for 2010 and the early part of 2011."
Meanwhile, Willenhall Leisure Centre is set to close in September after efforts to keep the facility open were unsuccessful. Despite the introduction of a new programme in April, income and attendances have both decreased.