Powys leisure centres: Which ones could stay open or closed?

The options mainly centre around keeping leisure centres and swimming pools open in Powys' five largest towns: Newtown, Welshpool, Brecon, Llandrindod and Ystradgynlais.

However, leisure centres and dry facilities in smaller towns could close or be transferred to the community or businesses.

If a report and its options are approved by Powys County Council's Cabinet later this month, a consultation will take place in 2025.

Powys County Council said: "Whatever option is chosen, the Council is also keen to hear from local communities on how their local leisure centre can be used so it provides what the local community want at an affordable price, and where change is necessary how can the community make the best of that change."

Option 1

The first option is to keep all current centres open through an existing contract with Freedom Leisure.

Option 2

Close all centres from September 2027 apart from the facilities in Welshpool, Newtown, Llandrindod, Brecon and Ystradgynlais.

The council would be open to negotiations with schools about transferring dry side facilities if they're essential to the curriculum and day-to-day running of the school such as having a sports hall for exams and extra-curricular activities.

Schools would also have talks about community access to the leisure facilities. 

Powys County Council said: "It may be more financially viable, and preferable for management reasons, for Freedom Leisure (or any other leisure provider) to continue to manage and operate facilities on a school site outside of school hours, in order to generate income and retain leisure expertise."

Expressions of interest for wet side, dry side and outdoor facilities would be invited by the end of September 2025 if transferring to a school is not an option.

Successful applications would be notified by November 30 2026 following robust business cases which are invited by the end of September 2026.

Facilities will close on August 31, 2027 if they're not transferred to a school, and where no sustainable business case is approved.

Option 3

All leisure provision in Powys becomes community or commercially led.

That means the council will no longer directly provide leisure services and facilities. But it will work and support others to develop community-led provision which meets local needs.

These could include transferring existing facilities to community groups or the private sector.

The council says this option could support the local economy to develop local businesses such as yoga instructors, private gyms and use of hotel swimming pools.

Again, an expression of interest and business cases would be invited by the end of September 2025 and September 2026 respectively.

Option 4

And the final option is that leisure centres with swimming pools in Machynlleth, Welshpool, Newtown, Llanidloes, Knighton, Llandrindod, Brecon and Ystradgynlais remain open.

But swimming pools in Builth Wells, Presteigne (East Radnor), Rhayader and Llanfyllin would close by the end of December 2025.

The council is also considering the closure of dry side facilities in Llanfyllin, Llanfair Caereinion, Presteigne (East Radnor), Builth Wells and Rhayader unless they're transferred to a school or community, and where no sustainable Business Case is approved by August 31, 2027.

Powys County Council proposes to look into options for a new leisure facility to adjoin the newly-approved £46m 'super-school' in Machynlleth.

Also under this option, the council plans to find capital funding for leisure facilities in Llandrindod alongside a new secondary school.

The existing leisure facilities in Machynlleth and Llandrindod would be kept running if funding isn't available.

The report and options will be reviewed by the council’s Joint Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, November 14, before being considered by the Cabinet on Tuesday, November 26.

Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys, Councillor Richard Church said: “We want to lay the foundations for a sustainable service for future generations to help support an active and healthy population in the county.

“Our services are well regarded and have been well supported in the past, but our review has shown that the existing facilities are not fit for purpose and cannot deliver our aspirations for a healthy and active county, without significant investment.

“The council has identified different options that could form the blueprint for the way services are managed in the future.

“We propose taking four options out for public consultation, setting out the costs and seeking the views of service users and communities on a preferred way forward.

“Leisure services are an important part of the council. We run more leisure centres than any other Council in Wales and we must ensure that any future option is affordable, provides equitable access and supports a healthy and active population."

Reaction

Politicians from across Powys have reacted to the announcement made by the Liberal Democrat-Labour led council about potential leisure centre closures in the county.

Llanidloes' Liberal Democrat county councillor, Glyn Preston, said he will "fight tooth and nail" to keep the town's leisure centre open.

"Llanidloes Leisure Centre is well-used, well-integrated with the school, and the case for keeping it open is very strong," he said.

Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats have launched a petition calling on the Welsh Government to provide funding to Powys Council to modernise the leisure centre and protect it into the future.

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru is calling for the Crown estate to be devolved to Wales, and "for a proper funding formula to reflect the needs of Wales and for Powys Council to listen".