CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to continue fighting for sports facilities in the Spen Valley after councillors endorsed a strategy that could result in local provision being reduced.

Members of Kirklees Council's Cabinet yesterday backed a Sports Facilities Strategic Framework report which outlines future sports provision for the district.

The report, commissioned by the Council, reiterates its plans in relation to Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre at Cleckheaton, which is set to be demolished next May at the same time as the neighbouring school.

Residents, backed by local politicians, have been campaigning for the facility to be saved or for it to be replaced with a like-for-like sports centre.

They have been told that a new school sports centre will be built but that it will probably be only open to the public during evenings and at weekends.

Yesterday, Councillor Kath Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said the current sports centre had eight courts, while the replacement would have four.

"How can they reduce the facilities down to a school-based, four-court centre from eight courts - and still say there will be enough provision?"

Coun Pinnock said it was "insulting" to suggest Cleckheaton could cope with reduced facilities because some users of Whitcliffe Mount were from out of town.

She said indoor bowlers would have to travel to Leeds or Halifax for a specialist indoor facility.

The Framework report urges the Council to work with Whitcliffe Mount to secure community access to the proposed new facility but campaigners say the hours will be reduced along with the facilities on offer,

The report's authors admitted that the closure of Whitcliffe Mount sports centre will be a major blow to some.

It says: "Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre will shut its doors in May 2016 with a smaller four court hall due to open on the same site.

"This will have implications for the activities based at the centre and for locally based users for whom this is the nearest facility.

"It is important that every effort be made to secure a community use agreement for the new sports hall. There is no similar venue locally and moving further afield may disrupt and create barriers to participation in the activities presently enjoyed by the local community."

Campaigners said they would continue to fight for local provision and to put pressure on the Council to reveal detailed plans for the redevelopment of Spenborough pool at Liversedge.

Councillor Steve Hall, the Labour-run council’s cabinet member for planning, highways and open spaces, recently said that all councillors in the Spen Valley met last year and agreed that the new sports centre should be built at Spenborough pool.

He said Whitcliffe Mount is "miles away from the centre" whereas Spenborough pool is on a major bus route.