A COUNCIL is working with users of a sports centre which is due to close next year to help find alternative facilities for them to use.

Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre in Cleckheaton will shut at the end of May as part of plans to build a replacement for Whitcliffe Mount Business and Enterprise College, which shares the same site in Turnsteads Avenue.

As part of the Government’s Priority School Building Programme, a new school will be built on the site of the sports centre, which is used by pupils and the public. Once finished, the old school building will be demolished and a new, smaller, sports centre built in its place.

The council has confirmed that the the new school is expected to be finished in time for autumn 2017, and that expansion works at Spenborough Pool in nearby Liversedge are to be ready in January.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: "The expansion will include a new fitness studio and spin studio. There will also be a new female changing room and refurbishment to existing areas. The new facilities will be in a modular building connected to the current building by a covered walkway.

"Kirklees Active Leisure and the council are working with the users of the current Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre to find alternative facilities for them to use ahead of the closure. Many of the groups using the sports centre have already relocated elsewhere.

"We have still to speak to some groups and customers but will be doing so in the next few weeks. The council believes that our current plans mean that there will be adequate capacity in Kirklees and the surrounding area to meet the needs of the people in Cleckheaton and the Spen Valley area."

Of the new sports hall being built as part of the replacement school, the spokesman added: "Whilst the council is making every effort to ensure that the sports facilities at the new school are available for community use, the final decision on this lies with the school’s governing body."

It comes as a petition with more than 3,000 signatures was handed to the authority in a bid to prevent closure of the sports centre.

Councillor Kath Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said that the current sports centre had two sports halls allowing both the school and the community to use it in the day time. But the new school building will have a smaller sports centre, which even if it is available to the community, will not be available in the day time.

The petition gained 3,100 signatures, which will trigger a debate at a full council meeting, expected to be on October 7.

Cllr Pinnock said: "To have 3,000 signatures on the petition indicates what a well used sports centre it is."