By james art Skyrocketing membership costs and damaged facilities at a council-owned gym have been criticised.
Customers at Freeman’s Quay Leisure Center have questioned Durham County Council’s decision to increase concession memberships by up to £100 amid ongoing problems with the facilities.
“How can [the council] justify increasing the membership fee for concession members (in some cases over £100) when almost half the equipment is not in full working order?” asked Mr S Williamson at a full council meeting.
He added: “For example, the pool floor cannot be used properly from 2022 and the steam room cannot be used for the last six months. These are just two of several problems at Freemans Quay.
Concession membership now costs £204 per year. Durham City Leisure Center has around three thousand members, meaning the facilities are subject to “inevitable wear and tear”, the council said.
James Rowlandson, cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said: “Council officers and facility staff are doing everything they can to prevent maintenance issues from occurring – and when they do, to fix them as quickly as possible.
“The pool has been at its fixed depth since September 2022 as there was a problem with the mechanics of the floating floor. This allowed the pool to remain open to the public and ensured that swimming activities were not affected.
“The sauna has been the subject of significant refurbishment investment over the last six months, including the installation of a new generator. However, new problems have been identified that have delayed plans to reopen it to the public.
Council site membership changed in November 2023, meaning customers who previously benefited from reduced legacy prices have had their contracts updated. Previously swim-only memberships now include gym access and fitness classes.
The local authority added: “It was not possible for us to retain these legacy memberships as they did not reflect the current cost or market value of our services.
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“Leisure provision is a significant cost to the municipality and it is important in these times of diminishing resources that we offer value for money to its residents through fair and affordable prices; while at the same time ensuring that we carefully manage the public purse.
“We continue to offer a 35% preferential discount to support those of pension age, the unemployed or low-income households. For regular users, the Preferred Member rate equates to less than £1 per visit.’
Previous plans to upgrade Freeman’s Quay, as part of the council’s leisure transformation programme, were revised earlier this year due to financial pressures.