AN organisation hoping to save four North-East leisure centres threatened with closure has reaffirmed its position after scrutinising the accounts.

Spectrum Leisure and Management (Slam) said it can now draw up a "viable" business plan after Durham County Council opened the books.

The council is considering closing six leisure centres to save £1.3m a year, part of £400m cuts its needs to make over the next four years because of a reduction in central Government funding.

The community development trust hopes to take over the operation of leisure centres in Ferryhill, Sherburn, Coxhoe and Pity Me.

Deerness in Ushaw Moor and Glenholme in Crook are also facing closure.

Several third party operators have expressed an interest in taking on the leisure centres and all are being afforded the same council assistance as Slam - which took over Spectrum Leisure Centre in Willington from the defunct Wear Valley District Council in 2007.

Ian Hirst, chief executive of Slam, said: "We have now had a week or so to try and analyse the information we now have in respect of the leisure facilities.

"I have sat down and discussed the matter with board at Slam CDT and we are now in a position to push ahead and develop a viable business plan".

Slam has declared itself out of running to take on Deerness, due to its specialist acro-gymnastic focus, but the council has hinted it would welcome an application from the Deerness Gymnastics Club.

Meanwhile, Slam has welcomed an action group formed to save Glenholme Leisure Centre, despite ruling itself out because of the swimming pool running costs and a much-needed refurbishment.

Slam remains resolute in its proposal to provide facilities elsewhere in Crook, in The Elite Hall, which were tabled before Glenholme was identified for potential closure.

Mr Hirst said: "It does feel a little like that support may have evaporated from certain sectors in the town, however, we feel we need to continue to explore this avenue.

"The idea for The Elite, is to provide a state of the art fitness suite and dance studios on the ground floor, and to refurbish the upstairs to provide a venue suitable for weddings, christenings, as well as other functions."