Tetbury Leisure Centre is close to re-opening according to reports.

Residents in the town were left shocked by the sudden closure of Tetbury's only leisure centre back in July.

Since the closures, local groups have been working to try and re-open the facilities, and it’s believed Tetbury Leisure Centre is close to announcing that they will re-open the sports hall for community groups via a booking and magnetic key fob system.

However, Sir William Romney School has not yet confirmed the new arrangements.

Councillors at Cotswold District Council will debate offering new start-up support funds to Tetbury and Fairford Leisure centres at a full council meeting next week.

Cllr Richard Norris (Tetbury with Upton) and Cllr Stephen Andrews (Lechlade, Kempsford and Fairford South) have put forward a motion asking Cotswold District Council to offer financial support to local communities as they try and re-open the facilities which closed earlier this year.

When Cotswold District Council gave ownership of Tetbury Leisure Centre to Sir William Romney School in 2014, the district council agreed to supply £330,000 of grants to support the leisure centre while it became a self-supporting, self-funding business.

Similarly, in Fairford £192,000 was offered to Farmers School on the same basis.

However, since 2014 both leisure centres have failed to develop a stand-alone business model robust enough to survive without additional Cotswold District Council grant support.

Tetbury Leisure Centre closed in July with Fairford Leisure Centre closing at the end of last month.

Both leisure centre's put the closures down to ‘the cessation of grant funding.’

The motion will ask for Cotswold District Council to support each leisure centre by up to £25,000 in order to supply a buffer to the new organisations as they try and re-open the facilities and transition from their old arrangements to new arrangements.

Cllr Richard Morgan, leader of the Conservative Group on Cotswold District Council said: "Local communities in Tetbury and Fairford have been left devastated by the recent and sudden closures of their leisure centres.

"Both communities are working hard to find solutions to try and re-open their leisure centres for residents and local community groups.

"As leisure facilities are so crucial to the mental and physical wellbeing of residents, we have a responsibility to fully support efforts being made to get these facilities re-opened.”

"Our group are putting forward a motion asking Cotswold District Council to offer £25,000 of grant funding to help each centre transition from their previous organisation structure to their new structure.

"The funds can be spent on anything from installing new doors and locking systems (key fobs), installing CCTV, buying extra insurance, marketing to publicise the new arrangements and purchasing new booking system software if required.

"I sincerely hope the Lib Dem administration will back our efforts and support this motion at our full council meeting next week."