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13
Aug 2021
Union concerns over staffing shortages at Harrogate district leisure centres
A trade union has raised concerns over staffing shortages at Harrogate district leisure centres which have recently been taken over by a new council-controlled company.
Brimhams Active was launched by Harrogate Borough Council this month and around 160 staff were transferred across to the new company to remain in their roles.
But with around 27 vacancies as a result of staffing shortages across the leisure industry, David Houlgate, branch secretary at Unison Harrogate, has raised concerns over the impact on services, as well wider issues over staff pay and retention.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said:
Leisure centres including Starbeck Baths and Knaresborough Swimming Pool were closed for more than a year earlier during the covid pandemic and since reopening some services have yet to make a full return due to the staffing issues.
Read More:
- Harrogate district’s new leisure company to focus on health and wellbeing
- Harrogate Council approves leisure services overhaul
- Staffing a major challenge says new Harrogate leisure company boss
This was after many leisure staff were temporarily redeployed into different areas such as bin collections and as the council introduced a recruitment freeze in order to keep costs down during the pandemic.
Mr Houlgate added:
In response, a council spokesperson said it was “working hard” to fill the vacancies and that the staffing shortages were not specific to Harrogate but a nationwide problem.
The spokesperson said:
The spokesperson added:
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