GROUPS hoping to take over the running of six closurethreatened leisure centres have been set a deadline to submit initial business plans.

Durham County Council last night confirmed it had received a number of expressions of interest in taking over the management of the buildings, which are under threat to save the authority £1.3m a year.

The news came as MPs handed a 3,500-name petition to Downing Street, calling on the Prime Minister to halt the programme of spending cuts that they say has put the leisure centres under threat.

Public consultation on the proposed closure of the sports centres in Sherburn, Ushaw Moor, Coxhoe, Pity Me, Ferryhill and Crook ends tomorrow.

Terry Collins, director of neighbourhood services at Durham County Council, admitted that the potential closure was an emotive subject.

He said: “At the heart of this consultation is the need to find viable business proposals for the future operation of each of the six centres involved, as we seek to make savings across all service areas in the light of large reductions in Government grant.

“During the consultation, we have had expressions of interest from a number of parties, including businesses and community groups, and we have now asked them to submit initial business plans by June 10.

“Until these plans have been delivered and considered and the feedback from the consultation has been reviewed, no decisions will be made.”

Residents and community groups have fought a public campaign to save the leisure centres, backed by County Durham MPs Roberta Blackman- Woods, Phil Wilson and Pat Glass, who were at Number 10 on Monday to hand in the petition.

Dr Blackman-Woods described the cuts as eye-watering and said: “Not surprisingly, thousands of Durham residents have written, emailed and spoken to me about how they are deeply concerned about the future of their centres.

“Our communities rely hugely on our sports centres and the Government must rethink its devastating programme of cutting too deeply and quickly.”

Mr Wilson said: “Our task now is to try as hard as possible to ensure a third party provider can be found to keep at least some of the leisure centres open in the longterm.”