UK Government Budget: Powys Conservative MPs Must Back Help for Leisure Centres

Powys Liberal Democrats have urged the county’s two Conservative MPs Fay Jones and Craig Williams to back introducing energy price relief schemes for leisure centres in the upcoming UK Government budget.

Currently swimming pools and leisure centres are excluded from the UK Government energy support scheme despite other public facilities such as libraries and museums being able to benefit.

Leader of Powys Council Liberal Democrats James Gibson-Watt said:

“It is beyond belief that the Conservatives are continuing to exclude swimming pools and leisure centres from energy price relief schemes.

“Powys Liberal Democrats are committed to helping our wonderful towns thrive. The benefits leisure centres provide communities with are incalculable and help keep our county healthy. The UK Government must give them the help they need.

“Fay Jones and Craig Williams must support Lib Dems calls for leisure centres to receive support in the upcoming budget, before it is too late. Craig Williams in particular has a direct line to the Prime Minister  being his Parliamentary Private Secretary.”

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Brecon and Radnorshire, David Chadwick said:

"The fabric of our communities is unravelling because of Conservative Cuts.

"Local sports and leisure facilities are vital resources not just for our health and wellbeing but also for the part they play in bringing people together.

“Not only has the Government failed to recognise their value to our communities, but it has also failed to appreciate the costs and challenges involved in keeping these resources running for us.

“After nearly 13 years of the Conservative government, it is heart-breaking to see the fabric of our communities unravelling because of Conservative cuts and their disastrous mismanagement of our economy.

“If I was the MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, securing this support would be my top priority, unfortunately so far, neither of Powys’ Conservative seem remotely interested in standing up for their constituents and are far more interested in towing the Party line.”

ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:

• From April, the UK Government is cutting the amount of support businesses, charities and public sector organisations get to meet their energy bills.
• "Non-domestic" energy customers will get a discount on wholesale prices, instead of their costs being capped as they are under the current scheme.
• Heavy energy-using "Energy Intensive" sectors will get a larger discount than others.
• Sports and Leisure facilities aren't included and will drop to "basic" support.
• The Liberal Democrat motion in Parliament calls for the sector to be included in the "Energy Intensive" category and get the maximum help.
• Freedom Leisure operates leisure facilities on behalf of Powys County Council. It's one of the UK's leading not-for-profit charitable leisure and cultural trusts.
• In a public statement, CEO Ivan Horsfall Turner says Freedom Leisure has seen its annual energy bill more than double, from £8 million a year to £20 million.
• He warns that without change, the cuts will have a long-term detrimental effect on the Nation's health and well-being and will increase pressure on the NHS.
• An Early Day Motion has been tabled in Parliament by Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham Munira Wilson. It has been signed by a cross-party coalition of MPs.
• It calls on the Government to expand its Energy Bill Discount scheme to give maximum support to sports facilities, including swimming pools and leisure centres