A COUNCIL-RUN leisure centre in Barrow has responded to claims that a social enterprise could put in a bid to takeover the sports facility.

London-based Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) is set to merge with North Country Leisure (NCL) to run Ulverston Leisure Centre which is set to undergo a £13m redevelopment.

Derek Jones, partnership manager for NCL announced that in a bid to bring together sports facilities in south Cumbria under the same brand, GLL will put forward a bid for Park Leisure Centre in Barrow if it goes out to tender.

Barrow Council community services manager, Keith Johnson, confirmed that outsourcing its leisure services is part of the council's budget strategy but couldn't comment specifically on Mr Jones's claims.

He said: "I am sure that there will be a great deal of interest in submitting a tender for these services from many organisations.

"Following the decision to approve the budget strategy, the council has had no contact with any potential provider.

"The planning process to shape the specification has only just begun and it is highly unlikely that any competitive tendering process will commence before late spring/early summer 2017, with any contract being awarded during the 2018/19 financial year."

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