The financial costs of the controversial decision to shut down an Oakham leisure centre will be revealed by the county council today (Friday, November 22). 

At last night's (Nov 21) full council meeting Rutland County Council's leader Cllr Gale Waller (Lib Dem) said the full details of the decision to close Catmose Sports Centre along with a 'further public announcement' would be made public. 

Eight months ago, the cash-strapped authority made the decision to stop funding the leisure centre and end the contract with Stevenage Leisure Ltd, which had run the centre in Huntsman Drive for many years.

The authority had considered using funding signposted for a new flooding warden and climate change officer to keep the centre open, but at a secret meeting in March, the council voted against that plan. The centre closed at the end of May. 

Cllr Gale Waller speaking at Council Meeting on 18th April 2024. (Photo: LDRS)

At the meeting Cllr Waller said the existing lease with Catmose College – the leisure centre is within the school grounds – has ended and full details will be published by the authority today 

She said: "It's not appropriate to share the full details in a public forum while we're in an election period, however I can confirm that RCC has now ended its lease agreement with Catmose College, as well as successfully concluding discussions with all those who had prior involvement in the running of Catmose Sports Centre. Information that was previously exempt from public reports about our leisure contract because it was commercially sensitive will be published tomorrow along with a further public announcement." 



There was public outrage at the closure of Catmose Leisure Center, which the council is still getting criticism about today. (Photo: LDRS)

Cllr Tracy Carr (Ind) asked whether the minutes of the private March meeting and the votes of councillors would be made public and the leader said they would be.