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Fears for sports centre
Business leaders in Witham fear a leisure centre could close.
Members of Witham's Chamber of Trade and town centre strategy group are asking Braintree Council to clarify the future for Bramston Sports Centre.
It comes in light of a new multi-million pound swimming centre opening this weekend in Braintree, and proposals to turn John Bramston School - which shares use of the sports centre - into an academy.
Paul Ryland, chairman of the town centre strategy group, said he understood that Bramston is being "subsidised to the tune of £500,000" a year.
David Arnott, chairman of Witham's Chamber of Trade, added: "Now we've got Braintree Swimming Centre, the concern is that Bramston would be closed down and sold off and then the money won't get put back into the town."
Mr Ryland said if this happened and the money did not go back into Witham, it would be "absolutely criminal."
Graham Butland, leader of Braintree Council, said no decision has been made yet but something would need to be done with Bramston Sports Centre as "at the moment it is requiring a lot of money to keep it going."
"Something needs to be done there's no doubt about that because it's an aging facility."
A Braintree Council spokesman said that all the leisure centres in the district had always been subsidised.
For the full story see the Witham and Braintree Times
4:30pm Wednesday 26th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: no good 4 nothing, witham on 7:22pm Thu 27 Mar 08
just shows that braintree gets everything and witham gets nothing
just shows that braintree gets everything and witham gets nothing
Posted by: Richard, WITHAM on 11:22am Fri 28 Mar 08
Does Graham Butland know that residents in Witham do pay Council Tax.Can we not expect to have Leisure facilities.
Where is the money coming from to build the new Greenfield Offices? - which is really more Council Offices.
Does Graham Butland know that residents in Witham do pay Council Tax.Can we not expect to have Leisure facilities.
Where is the money coming from to build the new Greenfield Offices? - which is really more Council Offices.
Posted by: S, Braintree on 4:21pm Fri 28 Mar 08
It will be really unfair to Witham if Bramston closes and Braintree has the new centre (and I live in Braintree). Money & time needs to be spent on Bramston, it is a tired, depressing site with some lacklustre staff. It also attracts antisocial behaviour from local kids. It needs revamping definitely but its shouldnt close
It will be really unfair to Witham if Bramston closes and Braintree has the new centre (and I live in Braintree). Money & time needs to be spent on Bramston, it is a tired, depressing site with some lacklustre staff. It also attracts antisocial behaviour from local kids. It needs revamping definitely but its shouldnt close
Posted by: anonymous on 8:04pm Fri 28 Mar 08
the sports centre being closed or not has nothing to do at all with bramston school becoming an academy or not people need to get their facts correct before they put items into print
the sports centre being closed or not has nothing to do at all with bramston school becoming an academy or not people need to get their facts correct before they put items into print
Posted by: anon, witham on 8:02am Sat 29 Mar 08
So we are constantly expected to pay extra council tax and told to be environmentally friendly and then they expect us to get in our car & drive to braintree or chelmsford to go swimming if Bramston closes
Yes that really makes sense esp when you have children to take with you for their swimming lessons and public transport to Braintree almost non existant unless you want to travel only hourly by bus or train!
Maybe we should push for a reduction in council tax for reduced facilities eg no leisure centre,fortnightly refuse collections!
So we are constantly expected to pay extra council tax and told to be environmentally friendly and then they expect us to get in our car & drive to braintree or chelmsford to go swimming if Bramston closes
Yes that really makes sense esp when you have children to take with you for their swimming lessons and public transport to Braintree almost non existant unless you want to travel only hourly by bus or train!
Maybe we should push for a reduction in council tax for reduced facilities eg no leisure centre,fortnightly refuse collections!
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