£4m boost for Macclesfield leisure centre

Residents are to benefit from improved sports and leisure services – thanks to a £4 million investment in Macclesfield Leisure Centre.

This has been made possible because of a partnership arrangement between Cheshire East Council and Everybody Sport and Recreation, which manages the facility on the council’s behalf. The centre at Priory Lane will see major upgrades to gym equipment and fitness studios, plus a new spa and swimming pool ‘village’ change facility.

The decision to authorise council officers to enter into a contract to deliver the customer-facing works was taken by a meeting of Cheshire East Council’s cabinet today. The latest figures revealed increased revenue, customer use and improved facilities. This followed efficiencies worth £7m in its first four years of operation.

Attendance and leisure use has improved again, with an increase of eight per cent in the number of visits during 2017/18 from 3.1 million to 3.3 million. When attendance at the new Holmes Chapel Community Centre is taken into account, the increase is 13 per cent. Membership of leisure centres rose from 14,872 to 17,938 in the same year.

Frank Jordan, Cheshire East Council executive director of place, said: “This is great news for people in and around Macclesfield. This is a significant investment to further improve the quality of sports facilities for our residents. This partnership arrangement with Everybody will bring future benefits to both the council, in terms of value for money through a reduced cost for the service, and for our residents, who will have access to a high-quality leisure provision across Cheshire East.”

Councillor Liz Wardlaw, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for health, said: “We are extremely pleased with this £4m investment in improvements, in partnership with Everybody, in Macclesfield. It will enhance the offer to a range of user groups, including Care4CE, which is proving very popular and helping people to stay fit and healthy.”

Councillor Andrew Kolker, chairman of the trust, which has a board of independent trustees, said: “Our purpose is to provide leisure for life – across all age groups. This leisure centre in Macclesfield will help local people to take part in sports and encourage them to enjoy a happy healthy life. I am delighted that we have secured first-class sports facilities for the people of Macclesfield. During the last five or so years, we have seen a remarkable increase in the number and frequency of residents across Cheshire East using our centres and services.”

During the last year, significant improvements have been made at facilities in Wilmslow and Sandbach, with Congleton and Alsager leisure centres next in line for fresh investment.

To read Everybody’s 2017/18 annual report  and find out more about sports in your area, visit the Everybody website