THE chief executive of the charitable company that operates most of the publicly owned leisure and entertainment services across Cornwall has said they ‘would like to retain all the facilities across the county if at all possible’ — including Launceston’s Phoenix Leisure Centre.

Representatives of Tempus Leisure, attended Launceston Town Council’s meeting last week to talk about ‘the challenge facing leisure services in Cornwall’.

Tempus Leisure manages leisure services in Cornwall on behalf of Cornwall Council. The leisure contract ends on March 31 2017. Cornwall Council says it wants a sustainable network of leisure facilities and activities available to residents and visitors that contributes to local health, wellbeing and the economy of Cornwall — but at no cost to the council.

Tempus Leisure chief executive Simon Blamey said: “The challenge is we have heard about the £196-million savings that have to be made by Cornwall Council over four years.

“The council do not want to see leisure cut in Cornwall but I think the view given is that with the pressure of the budget unfortunately the council can no longer provide funding for leisure services.

“We estimate the financial gap to be £3.5-million to £4-million. We would have to try and find net growth of £3.5-million to £4-million in order to sustain the service.

“We would like to retain all the facilities across the county if at all possible.”

He talked of a four-stage process that has so far included looking at potential minor changes and improvements and ‘more radical’ proposals, but that a gap still remains. He said they are currently at stage four, ‘looking at more opportunities’ including ‘significant development of sites or potential facility rationalisation’, to try and close the gap.

He said Tempus Leisure would be putting together a bid ‘if that’s where we end up with the procurement process of the council’.

Mr Blamey, who said he has an ‘affinity’ with Launceston Leisure Centre, having previously been assistant manager there, added: “We will in all likelihood have to make some changes to ensure it’s financially viable.

“We are looking at £100,000 to £150,000 to make the service sustainable. It’s not an easy ask.

“We certainly recognise the scale of the challenge. We are working extremely hard to find a sustainable solution. We would very much like to be seen as a Cornish solution to a Cornish issue.”

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week’s edition of the Post.