Perth Leisure Pool and Dewars Centre could close this year with high energy costs a major factor.
A councillor has revealed Live Active Leisure proposed "a number of significant cuts" including the closure of Dewars Centre from July 1 and Perth Leisure Pool from September 1.
It is understood the proposal was made during a briefing to councillors prior to last week's meeting where they agreed the 2023/24 budget meeting for Perth and Kinross Council.
Live Active Leisure's chairman David Maclehose, has since confirmed Live Active "is having to consider difficult choices from a wide range of savings proposals".
Conservative group leader John Duff revealed the pressures facing Live Active Leisure at PKC's budget meeting on Wednesday March 1.
Tabling his group's revenue budget amendment Cllr John Duff said: "Live Active Leisure propose a number of significant cuts to services including closure of Perth Leisure Pool from 1 September this year and the Dewar’s Centre from 1 July.
"We recognise that these facilities are expensive to operate and have proposed funding of £350,000 and £360,000 respectively in order to keep both facilities fully open during 2023/24."
The Conservative amendment was rejected but the approved SNP budget did commit £150,000 for a council-wide review of leisure and cultural assets in Perth and Kinross.
SNP council leader Grant Laing said: "When it comes to supporting and promoting physical and mental wellbeing, we are maintaining the council’s contribution to our Arm's-length External Organisations (ALE0) in the next financial year."
He added: "However, the important services delivered through our ALEOs must be affordable and sustainable. As such, this administration is committed to a review of all three organisations to bring forward savings for financial year 24/25 and beyond.
"I will also be allocating £150,000 to take forward a council-wide review of our leisure and cultural assets, another key strand in our drive to protect and make best use of the assets we have."
"In this challenging climate we must take a different approach and focus on what we can do, not what we can’t - making the most of available budget and the leisure facilities we already have.
"The review will be based on robust analysis of what our communities need and investment needs of individual buildings.
"Services will still need to change and evolve in the coming years, with a very clear focus on health and wellbeing, and with a balance between city centre provision and the needs of rural communities."
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week, Cllr Duff said he understood the proposal was to close both facilities until the new PH20 building - the now shelved project to replace Perth Leisure Pool and Dewars Centre - was built.
Cllr Duff said: "My understanding is the facilities would be closed until PH20 was built."
PKC's two Labour councillors tabled the only capital budget amendment not to pause PH20 - the project to replace Perth Leisure Pool and Dewars Centre. It was rejected by 38 votes to two.
Last Wednesday Bailie Alasdair Bailey told councillors: "It's not looking rosy for people who are fans of swimming."
Crippling energy costs have resulted in the closure of pools all over the UK.
Back in October 2021 councillors were told the annual utility costs for Perth Leisure Pool and Dewars Centre were approximately £500,000.
Energy prices have soared considerably since 2021.
Following last Wednesday's meeting Live Active Leisure's chairman David Maclehose told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We acknowledge and welcome the decision made by Perth and Kinross Council on Wednesday to withdraw the proposed four per cent reduction to the organisation's contract fee and provide £110,000 of additional funding support. Whilst this decision will undoubtedly assist the organisation with its financial challenges it unfortunately does not remove them entirely.
"We are also pleased that the replacement for Blairgowrie Recreation Centre will proceed as planned and whilst we are disappointed to see work on PH2O paused we fully understand the difficulties surrounding the council’s capital programme and are encouraged to note that the budget provision of £90 million remains pending a further review.
"Like many organisations we are managing a range of significant pressures including reduced customer income, rising inflation, high energy costs and the impact of long-term public finance constraints. The venues that we manage and operate are high demand users of energy and therefore the energy cost increases over the last 18 months alone, have had a big impact financially."
Mr Maclehose revealed the board of directors will meet on March 16 to decide the way forward.
He said: "In response to these challenges, and to ensure that we can operate on a sustainable basis, the company is having to consider difficult choices from a wide range of savings proposals. The organisation's board of directors will meet on March 16 to finalise the approach it will take. Further updates will be provided after this date.
"In the meantime, we will continue to work with Perth and Kinross Council to ensure that there is a joined-up approach to tacking these challenges, ensuring that we safeguard wherever possible the vital health, wellbeing, sporting and physical activity offer that the organisation provides across Perth and Kinross."
