STRATFORD District Council is to serve six months notice to terminate its leisure agreement with the Greig Trustees.
It follows concern by councillors that facilities at the Greig Centre leisure complex were deteriorating.
And on Monday (November 27) the cabinet agreed it would take over running the centre.
Back in 2005 the council entered into an £800,000 funding agreement with the Trustees to support the site.
The district council now has £250,000 to invest in the complex and the council could potentially call in that £800,000 loan.
Cabinet members were also aware of the community’s long held local desire to reopen The Greig Hall, which was closed in 2013.
Council leader, coun Chris Saint said: “This has been a concern to the district council for some time and we are making every effort to keep this valuable facility open for the people of Alcester and the surrounding area, by acquiring the property.
“So by taking this decision, the district council should be able to safeguard the future of the Greig Centre and provide valuable much needed investment in the leisure facilities for future generations.
“We anticipate the site coming back under the district council’s control when we will firstly look to refurbish the Lifestyles Sports Hall at the Greig Centre and also work with local representatives to reopen the Greig Hall.”
But charity chairman Ross Greig says they were given no prior warning of the council’s plans to take over the centre, and instead discovered the information on its website. He also claims improvements have been made to the centre in recent years.
Speaking last week before the decision was made, Mr Greig said: “Without any prior debate, the council announced on its website the prospect of a totally unprincipled power-grab to obtain a multi-million pound site masquerading in the pretence that it is doing it for the benefit of the local people of Alcester.
“The actions are designed with the potential for the complete destruction of the Greig family charity which has served the people of Alcester for sixty years.”
