The Reopen Dewsbury Sports Centre campaign will address Full Council on Wednesday, 16 September, as it calls on the authority’s new leadership to turn growing cross-party support for restoring leisure provision in the town into action.
Campaigners are expected to rally outside the council meeting from 4.30pm before presenting a deputation to councillors.
The group says three years after the sports centre closed, Dewsbury residents need more than promises of a future facility and is calling for a clear interim plan for swimming, exercise and leisure provision.
Central to its case are school swimming attainment figures which campaigners say demonstrate the consequences of inadequate local provision.
At Boothroyd Primary Academy, published figures show 33% of pupils achieved the required 25-metre swimming distance, while 17% achieved the required strokes and just 11% achieved water safety.
The school has since introduced a pop-up swimming pool funded through its Sports Premium.
At Carlton Primary School, figures for both 2023/24 and 2024/25 show 42% achieving 25 metres, 24% achieving the required strokes and no pupils achieving the water-safety requirement.
Figures published by Overthorpe Primary Academy show 62% achieving 25 metres, while 55% achieved the required strokes and 55% achieved water safety.
However, the school’s own report states that since the closure of Dewsbury Sports Centre, swimming sessions have only been available for half of the year.
Campaign spokesperson Surraya Patel said the figures showed why the issue went beyond the future of one building.
She said: “These are not just statistics. They are children who are missing out on a basic life skill and a National Curriculum requirement.
“When a school says that swimming sessions are only available for half the year because Dewsbury Sports Centre has closed, we cannot seriously claim that alternative provision is equivalent.
“A pop-up pool can be useful as a temporary measure, but it is not a replacement for a permanent community sports centre.”
The campaign is now asking Kirklees Council to carry out a full assessment of the impact of the closure on school swimming, including attainment levels, cancelled sessions, additional travel and lost curriculum time.
‘A future sports centre does not solve today’s problem’
While campaigners have welcomed plans for a new sports centre in Dewsbury, they argue that the proposed timescale leaves a major gap in provision.
If a replacement facility does not open until around 2031, Dewsbury could have been without equivalent permanent sports and leisure provision for more than eight years.
Surraya said: “We welcome investment in a new sports centre, but a future facility does not solve a problem that exists today.
“Children cannot wait until 2031 to learn to swim. Older residents cannot wait until 2031 for accessible opportunities to exercise.
“If a new centre is the long-term solution, then where is the interim plan?
“We believe the Council must properly explore whether repairing and reopening the existing centre can provide that bridge.”
The campaign wants the council to commission an independent assessment of the option to repair and reopen the existing sports centre while work progresses towards a long-term replacement.
It is also seeking an assessment of the closure’s impact on school swimming and a wider interim plan covering health, exercise and leisure facilities for Dewsbury.
Campaigners want the council to publish a clear timetable setting out what happens next.
The deputation comes amid renewed political debate over leisure provision in the district and growing cross-party calls for action over Dewsbury Sports Centre.
Surraya said: “For three years, the people of Dewsbury have been told to wait, while consultations, reports and temporary alternatives have failed to replace what our sports centre provided.
“Now we have new political leadership and cross-party support for reopening. We want to see that support translated into action.
“Dewsbury cannot be expected to wait until a future replacement facility is delivered. Children need somewhere to learn to swim now, older people need somewhere to stay active now, and families and community groups need accessible facilities now.”
The campaign will also hold a public meeting at Thornhill Lees Community Centre at 3pm on Saturday, 4 October, where residents will be invited to discuss Dewsbury’s future sports and leisure provision.
Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, the campaign’s message to the council is simple.
Surraya said: “We have spent three years campaigning, consulting and gathering evidence.
“The political position has now changed.
“So our message is simple: three years of closure is enough.
“We want the Council to make it work, find a practical solution and give Dewsbury its sports centre back.”
Kirklees Council have been approached for comment
Asian Standard will be following the campaign and Wednesday’s Full Council meeting, with further updates on what happens next.
