Residents beg North Northants Council to take action to save Kettering Leisure Village with just over three weeks until the doors close

Residents intent on saving Kettering Leisure Village (KLV) from closure have gathered once again to make their feelings known at a fiery emergency council meeting called to discuss the crisis.

Kettering Town Council (KTC) met with one item on the agenda – to highlight to the unitary council the strength of feeling over the imminent closure of the town’s major leisure, sports and conference centre – watched by a packed hall of animated KLV users.

Cross-party support had been gained for a way to highlight concerns and encourage North Northants Council (NNC) to find a solution to the closure of the privately-owned complex that houses sports courts and the town’s Lighthouse Theatre.

Town councillors debated a motion, to be sent to NNC the unitary council said to be brokering a deal to save the huge multi-faceted facility used by hundreds of people daily.

The proposed motion put forward by Cllr Clark Mitchell (Lab, Avondale Grange) and seconded by Cllr Dr Anup Pandey (Cons, St Peter’s) was defeated with a further amendment also voted down.

A third amendment by Cllr Martyn York (Cons, St Peter’s), using some phrases previously used by NNC leader Jason Smithers in a statement about KLV, said: “Kettering Town Council is concerned at the potential closure of Kettering Conference Centre.

"It strongly believes that the best chance for the centre to flourish in the future is to avoid even a temporary closure.

"There is an urgent need to find a solution and KTC is heartened by the NNC announcement that it recognises its position as an enabler and broker to drive forward a solution and that it remains committed to working with all parties to find a positive outcome for the people of Kettering and the wider area.

"KCC is a prominent provider of sport, leisure, economic development, and the overall welfare of Kettering. KTC supports NNC in its ongoing efforts with other parties to find a workable solution."

But the motion has no legal clout – the town council has to leave any possible negotiations to NNC’s leadership.

Cllr Mitchell (Lab, Avondale Grange) questioned why KLV’s imminent closure was not on the agenda of today’s executive meeting (Thursday).

He said: “Every day of inaction is another nail in the coffin of KLV and that is why tonight the sympathy I do feel is wavering. Personally I thought something of this magnitude would be being spoken about at the highest levels as quickly as possible. In my mind that would be at the next meeting of the NNC executive. Unfortunately KLV isn't even on the agenda. They aren't talking about the closure of our theatre at the highest public level possible.

“I ask publicly of the deputy leader of NNC and the portfolio holder for Leisure, Sport, Culture and Tourism (Cllr Helen Howell) – why are you avoiding the residents of Kettering and North Northants when you are most needed?”

Cllr Howell could have asked for an outline paper to be presented to NNC's executive and that would have laid out the options before them and made it available to the public’s scrutiny.

“I have no doubt that an officer prepared paper and presentation would have answered the questions that I personally want answered. Who at NNC knew about the financial difficulties at KLV, what did they know about them, when were they first told about it, where is the plan for next steps?

"Why do facilities like Chester House have millions thrown at them yet our art gallery and museum lay dormant with a leaking roof and now our theatre looks like it will close?

“They should be one of the town’s shining jewels, the ‘cornerstones’ if you will. When you add in the crumbling swimming pool and the fact that our football stadium is lost to houses, and the team based in another town, you might think all four corners are broken.

“An outline paper may show us the residents the cost of keeping an empty building secure and how much it would cost to run.

“Keeping the conference centre open is vital, if it closes even briefly it becomes more expensive to reopen. We can't let it close even briefly that has to be the message that is sent out loud and clear tonight.”

NNC Cllr Anne Lee (Lab, Windmill Kettering), questioned dual-hatter Cllr Lloyd Bunday – KTC leader and keeper of the purse strings for the unitary as NNC executive member for finance.

Speaking directly to Cllr Bunday she said: “Look me in the eye and tell me what you have done to convince the other members of the executive that KLV is hugely important.”

She added: “You discount the people of Kettering, you pooh-pooh what is being said here, you discount the positive business plans, you discard the evidence being shown here, you reject and dismiss everyone in this room. The people of Kettering have the right to expect more from their councillors.”

Cllr Bunday said: “I do not want to see KLV – Kettering Conference Centre – fail or close. I have shed blood building that theatre. I have shed blood building parts of Balance Gym. I have worked tirelessly for that building. I definitely don’t have a downer on it.

"NNC knows. They have been told by me and others in this room and others in this town they don’t want it to close. I really do want it to work.

"The only thing the council can do is broker a deal. We have to trust the leaders at the top. Jason Smithers is in conversation with backers. I do know for a fact there are meetings going on behind the scenes.”

KLV is set to close its doors on Monday, July 3 unless a new backer can be found.