Gloucester’s leisure centre has suddenly closed with the loss of more than 150 jobs.
The announcement to shut the GL1 Leisure Centre and Oxstalls Sports Park comes after charitable trust Aspire went into liquidation.
The two sports centres were being run by the trust on behalf of Gloucester City Council and it is feared they might not reopen for a year.
It means the Bruton Way gym and a swimming pool will be out of action, along with the tennis courts, outdoor sports pitches and all other Aspire-run facilities at Oxstalls.
Councillor Jeremy Hilton, leader of Gloucester Liberal Democrats, said: “The liquidation of Aspire Trust is yet another financial disaster placed upon Gloucester City Council by the Conservative administration.
“It’s like Groundhog Day. They are hopeless.
“Around 150 people have lost their jobs and it seems that GL1 Sports Centre and Oxstalls Tennis Centre will be shut for at least 12 months.
“People who have paid up front for use of the leisure facilities could lose all their money. It’s so unfair.
“The Conservative obsession with outsourcing its services isn’t working. Financial transparency is opaque. Scrutiny is awful. Now they want to get another contractor in. The Tories never learn.
“The council needs to reconsider bringing the leisure services back in house. Running the services with our own staff.
“No wonder Gloucester City Council has been described as the ‘Vanishing Council’ – it can’t even keep a swimming pool open."
A motion to the extraordinary general meeting of the city council on October 19 calls for Andy Lewis, Conservative cabinet member for culture and leisure, to make a written apology for the failure to agree a deal with Aspire.
The city council announced the move as part of the phased reopening of leisure services in Gloucester after the collapse of the Aspire Trust last month.
Councillor Andrew Lewis, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said he hoped the Barton Pool and the Twyver Pool would be reopened by January 1.
The Liberal Democrats have tabled questions to the Conservative cabinet member for culture and leisure asking a series of questions about the future of the swimming pool.
The Liberal Democrats have written to the Mayor and the managing director of Gloucester City Council demanding an emergency meeting is held for councillors to examine the issue.
