Agenda and minutes

Question:

You may be aware that there are growing concerns as to the condition of Machynlleth Leisure Centre. There are parts of the facility which cannot be used and rainwater comes in thus disrupting activities and can be a risk to health and safety. In view of the obvious need for substantial investment in upgrading the facilities, the health and well being agenda, and the financial pressures Powys is under; would the authority consider asking Welsh Government for capital funding to either upgrade the facility or to develop a new leisure centre complementary to the proposed new school thus ensuring the future of a modern important facility for the Machynlleth area?

Response by the Portfolio Holder:

Thank you for your question about Machynlleth Leisure Centre. Powys County Council and Freedom Leisure have held early discussions to consider incorporating leisure facilities as part of the new replacement building for Ysgol Bro Hyddgen.

As you have identified, there are a number of issues with Bro Ddyfi Leisure Centre that require significant investment. Therefore, we are exploring the possibility of including leisure facilities as part of the new school. A state-of-the-art learning and leisure community campus could potentially be built as part of the plans for a replacement all-through school.

Both organisations and Ysgol Bro Hyddgen’s senior leadership team are working together to look at the viability of combining Machynlleth’s education and leisure facilities as part of the project.

The proposals are subject to further design, investigation and feasibility work before any details can be shared as to what facilities could be possible at the potential community campus.

Cllr Phyl Davies and I asked officers to re-visit plans for the replacement school, after the project was delayed following the collapse of the contractor, Dawnus. The delay has given us the opportunity to revisit the plans and explore the possibility of a learning and leisure community campus.