LAUNCESTON residents are being urged to complete a survey as part of Cornwall Council's consultation into the future of its leisure services. The consultation paper is set in the context of significant reductions in public sector funding, which has made it necessary for Cornwall Council to reduce its spending so that by 2019 it will be spending £360-million less per year than in 2010. Since news of the consultation was announced there has been concern raised about the future of the town's leisure facility, with some fearing it will be closed. But Cornwall Councillor for Launceston South, Liberal Democrat Jade Farrington, has assured residents that closing the leisure centre is what the council is trying to avoid. She said: "It's been widely publicised that Cornwall Council needs to save £196-million by 2018/19 because of a cut in its government grant and because more money has to be spent on things like adult care because people are living longer. This is equivalent to a 30% cut in the budget. "The council is now consulting on its draft leisure strategy, which is about how it can save things like leisure centres by running them differently. "I would urge everyone to read the document at http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/leisure-resources-strategy">www.cornwall.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/leisure-resources-strategy and fill in the consultation survey." For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.