More time needs to be factored into the leisure review to allow local organisations and volunteers to be able to react to any decision from Powys Council to offload leisure centres.

This would be needed if organisations want to discuss taking over the running of facilities in the future.

At a meeting of all three Powys scrutiny committees on Wednesday, June 17, councillors probed the leisure facilities update to provide advice and recommendations on the proposals. This is ahead of the report going to the Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet meeting for a decision at a meeting on July 14.

The report explains that a final decision on the future of leisure centres is supposed to happen in spring 2028 - which would allow the new tender process to be for a “redesigned” leisure portfolio.

It also explains that council staff have already met with councillors in eight localities - Knighton, Presteigne, Llanidloes, Rhayader, Llanfyllin, Machynlleth, Llanfair Caereinion and Builth Wells - to explore “the viability” of potentially unloading the leisure centres to be run by community-led organisations.

This is because, unlike education or social services, local authorities are not legally obliged to provide leisure services.

Committee vice-chairman, Cllr Gary Mitchell (Plaid Cymru – Llanbrynmair), said: “I think there is an elephant in the room.”

He explained that it is “unlikely” the council will be able to keep the same number of leisure centres as it currently has under the new contract, and that some will close.

The timeline given for the review and retendering process has “engagement” between council residents and organisations scheduled to take place from September to November/December this year.

Cllr Mitchell said: “We say we’re reviewing the current tender process over a year and pretty much flipping that straight into the tender.

“We haven’t built anything in there other than consultation and listening to communities about support and ideas.

“We have to be absolutely sure we have given our communities and other organisations, businesses and social enterprises enough time and support to be able to react.”

Cabinet member for customers, digital and community services, Cllr Raiff Devlin (Liberal Democrat – Talybont-on-Usk), said: “The purpose of the engagement will not be for people to come along and save their leisure centre.

“That’s not what we’re looking at.

“The purpose is to allow people to have the opportunity to shape what leisure services will look like from 2030 onwards.

“The needs of the communities have evolved and changed, and we need to make sure that any new contract from 2030 onwards is reflective of that.”

The committee agreed a recommendation that Cabinet should: “review and strengthen the engagement timeline within the leisure review to ensure that sufficient time and resources are allocated to community capacity building, co-production and alternative service planning prior to procurement decision being taken.”

Another recommendation put forward was to include: “a full appraisal of alternative operating models including in-house provision, working again with Freedom Leisure or any other provider.”