REDDITCH residents are being offered the chance to find out more about changes to the borough council’s leisure services.

On December 1 Rubicon Leisure will take over the running of some of the leisure services previously run by the council.

These include the Palace Theatre, Abbey Stadium, Pitcheroak Golf Course, Forge Mill Needle Museum and Bordesley Abbey, as well as four of the town’s community centres.

Rubicon Leisure is the borough council’s owned, not-for-profit ‘Local Authority Trading Company’, which will operate the services from December.

Following interest on social media a frequently asked questions page has been launched on the council’s website.

The council’s portfolio holder for leisure & cultural services, cllr Mike Rouse, said: “It’s natural that change can be unsettling for some people and it’s easy for rumours to spread on social media, so we want to provide some reassurance and answers.”

“This is a new way of working. It’s going to take some getting used to. It’s the first arms-length trading company this council has set up, which is a model put together to meet the wishes of those who took part in the council’s most-responded survey on the topic over a year ago.”

He added: “A huge amount of work has gone into setting up our Rubicon Leisure company with detailed service specifications and a solid governance structure that means this is categorically not about privatisation.”

“This is also absolutely not about cutting services and price hikes as some have speculated, rather it’s about protecting the jewels in Redditch’s crown in tough economic times and ensuring our residents and visitors continue to enjoy affordable, well-run leisure services.

“I am delighted to see local residents are taking an interest in the changes and I hope the webpage we are putting together will help put people’s minds at ease.”

For more information, go to redditchbc.gov.uk/rubiconleisure.