Parkwood Leisure received £182,000 of funding from Staffordshire Moorlands District Council during the lockdown period, even though all of its centres were closed during this time, a Biddulph councillor has said.

The statement was made by Biddulph town and district councillor Connor Brady during a meeting of the district council's Service Delivery Overview & Scrutiny Panel yesterday (Wednesday).

Parkwood Leisure works with local authorities to manage their leisure centres across the country, and works with the district council to manage several in the Moorlands, including Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre.

The council has said that the money was being used to support Parkwood's reopening plans, although Cllr Brady argued that it was "unclear" how these plans were going to be enacted.

Labour's Cllr Brady asked the Conservative council leader Sybil Ralphs: "From March to June Parkwood received £182,000 from this council. Where is that money going and how do we show Parkwood are providing a valuable service now, when no sessions are taking place?"

In response, Cllr Ralphs said: "We have had directive from Government that makes us aware that lockdown for gyms and leisure centres is going to be eased.

"Parkwood are making plans to reopen and we are supporting them. This is helping them to get restarted so we can set up the service that Parkwood were giving prior to lockdown."

She also offered to provide a written report detailing how and where the money was being spent to Cllr Brady, which he accepted.

In a follow-up question, Cllr Brady said: "It's unclear what specific plans Parkwood are going to enact."

To which Cllr Ralphs replied: "Extensive plans are being made, but it's having to be guided by what they can and can't do. It's not going to happen overnight, it's going to be over a period of weeks."

The discussion took place following a question submitted to the council by Cllr Brady prior to the meeting.

That question read: "In view of the financial support Parkwood Community Leisure has received from SMDC during the lockdown, what talks have been held with Parkwood to initiate outdoor fitness activities over the summer months and what activities are now being held to promote family physical wellbeing throughout the Staffordshire Moorlands?"

A council spokesperson responded: "Parkwood have undertaken some initial customer consultation via their Facebook pages to understand what level of interest there might be, following a positive response they are including plans for such sessions ready for the centres to reopen. Government and national governing body guidance must be fully considered when planning such activities to ensure the safety of participants.

"With regards other work promoting physical activity and sport, the Council has supported over 20 different community organisations, clubs and groups in the Moorlands during lockdown to access more than £200,000 external funding to help them survive and plan for the future.

"We have also recently submitted further funding applications amounting to approximately £15,000 in partnership with three community organisations to offer additional support to them over the next 6 months.

"In addition, government guidance now enables sports to restart on 25th July and we are supporting clubs where possible to re-establish sessions where it is safe to do so."

Following the meeting, Cllr Brady said: "After asking about plans it was unforunate that the Council Leader was unable to give me any details about their plans that had been discussed between the cabinet, officers, and Parkwood.

"It seems to me that we are spending our community's money to support a private company which hasn't even looked at providing the sort of particular outside activities which smaller community groups have been doing in Biddulph.

"I look forward to the more detailed report from the portfolio holder and will post it [once I have received it], but wish I could have received that full answer at the meeting."

As the Government lockdown continues to ease, leisure centres and gyms around the country, including Biddulph Valley Leisure centre, will be reopening on Saturday, 25th July.

Nub News reported recently how Biddulph's leisure centre would be given a state-of-the-art "antimicrobial treatment" to ensure the safety of its customers and staff ahead of reopening.