Rossendale’s Marl Pits Leisure Centre looks set for a £1.4million grant boost for new heating equipment and other measures to cut energy use, emissions and bills.
It comes as leisure centres and swimming pools across Lancashire have been the focus of uncertainty, concerns and key budget decisions against a backdrop of rising costs, financial pressures and the potential reorganisation of councils in 2028.
In Rossendale, council-owned leisure centres are operated by Rossendale Leisure Trust. In addition to Marl Pits in Rawtenstall, other sites include the Adrenaline Centre in Haslingden, Pioneer gym in Bacup, The Hill ski slope and Rawtenstall’s Whitaker museum and gallery. The trust’s income and costs, and implications for Rossendale Council, have been the subject of many council meetings and financial reports.
For a while, Whitworth Leisure Centre was part of the leisure trust’s network. But it is now run by a community interest company after a campaign to save it from closure.
Now, councillors at the latest full council meeting are to be updated about a recent decision in mid-March to accept almost £1.4million from the national Public Sector De-carbonisation Fund. It will require a further £300,000 from Rossendale Council towards the upgrade. The full cost is estimated at almost £1.7million.
The update report states: “The funding aim is de-carbonise council-owned buildings with fossil fuel heating systems which are reaching the end of their lives, by financing alternative energy systems and measures to reduce energy throughout a whole building.”
The decision was taken by Rossendale’s chief executive, Rob Huntington, in discussions with council leader Coun Alyson Barnes and scrutiny committee chairwoman Coun Samara Barnes, the report states.
The Marl Pits funding has a tight deadline with all money to be spent by early 2027, according to the update for councillors. Owing to factors with another organisation in the process, a decision had to be taken by Rossendale Council chiefs between scheduled meetings of the full council.
The update adds: “Failure to accept this much-needed grant within the time-scales may put the funding in jeopardy, the council in breach of the requirements and would be contrary to the counci’s Climate Change Action Plan, agreed by councillors. The £300,000 match-funding from the council has been allocated from its carbon reduction fund.”
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