Rochdale leisure changes lead to new Cabinet post

Councillor Dale Mulgrew

Leisure and Cultural services across Rochdale Borough will be placed under the control of a charitable trust from next year. To help to prepare for the switch, Rochdale Council has created a new Assistant Cabinet Member post.

Councillor Dale Mulgrew takes on the unpaid position ahead of the creation of Trust, which is expected to start trading in April next year. Councillor Mulgrew will be working alongside the Cabinet Member for Community Safety amp; Leisure, Councillor Ted Flynn.

Councillor Mulgrew said: "I am delighted to take on this role at such an exciting time for the Council. The development of the Trust will bring exciting opportunities across the borough, and this appointment shows our absolute commitment to ensure its success."

Over the next few weeks Councillor Mulgrew will be visiting culture, leisure and sport facilities across the Borough as he gets to grips with his new role. The Trust itself will include the Council's leisure centres, Heywood and Middleton Civic Centres, Springfield Park Golf Course, Furrow, Springhill and Littleborough sports facilities, Hollingworth Lake Water Activity Centre.

It also covers Sports Development, Arts Development, Touchstones Rochdale, the Museum Store, Visitor Services and Arts and Heritage Services.

It will be classified as a not-for-profit distributing organisation and will seek charitable status. Commercial activity will be managed through a separate trading company and any profit will be gift aided back to the charity itself.