Statement on the closure of Baildon Recreation Centre

Baildon Town Council discussed the recent news from Bradford Council that they propose to close Baildon Recreation Centre in April 2025 and have made the following comments:

• Whilst we recognise that the building does not have a long-term future due to its location and repair costs, it appears to have been deliberately run down as was the case with the Ian Clough Hall to justify its closure. BTC is concerned about the loss of amenity for local residents that this further closure represents.

• BTC seeks to understand what Bradford's plans are to compensate the groups and clubs which use the Baildon Recreation Centre.

• BTC is dismayed that there has been no consultation with the Town Council in the lead up to this decision.

• BTC is concerned that this closure represents a further erosion of the Council's facilities in Baildon. Since the closure of Ian Clough Hall in 2022 there has only been a temporary library and all the other meeting rooms which were in ICH have been lost. There has been little movement in the developing of Baildon Club. Baildon residents have continued to feel keenly the haemorrhaging of facilities.

• When the Recreation Centre was last muted for closure after floodings in the early 2000's, Bradford Council advised that the new Sports facilities at Salts School would be open to the public emulating Nab Wood Sports Centre, in recognition that Baildon merited a dedicated Leisure and Sports facility .This did not happen.