LEADERS have backtracked on plans to shut a popular leisure centre until spring next year in the face of anger from residents.

Last week, a Middlesbrough Council report revealed the Neptune Leisure Centre, in Berwick Hills, was set to stay shut until April 2021 in a bid to save almost £250,000 for the authority. 

But council bosses have now agreed to open the Ormesby Road site on September 1 after a backlash from ward councillors and users of the centre. 

Everyone Active runs the Neptune Centre as well as the Rainbow Centre, in Coulby Newham and Middlesbrough Sports Village.

However, a contract between the council and the company means the authority has to foot the bill for making them “Covid-safe” when they reopen. 

The plan was to open the sports village this weekend, the Rainbow on September 1 and the Neptune on April 1 at a cost of £675,000. 

But Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston and executive member Cllr Dorothy Davison opted to change the recommendation on Friday afternoon. 

The mayor added: “Leisure is really important.

“When Covid is around, being fit and strong is really important so nobody would want to delay opening and deny the opportunity of some people getting fit.”

The changes mean the sports village will open “as soon as possible” while the Rainbow Centre and the Neptune will welcome back visitors in September. 

Mr Preston said his “phone was buzzing” after the initial recommendation was made public last week – with concerns from councillors, workers and unions. 

He added: “I think I can speak for all of us (in the executive) in saying we want to do something different from the recommendation. 

“What we wanted to do was open all the pools as soon as possible in a safe way.”

Officials said keeping the Neptune shut until April was set to save £249,000 in costs.

Mr Preston said officers had managed to find some financial help to make the decision to pull forward opening the Neptune “less financially painful”. 

“Yes, we’ll lose money, but we need to keep everybody fit and retain these services,” he added.

Ward councillors Lee Garvey and Donna Jones had threatened to resign if the Neptune remained closed until next April. 

After the meeting, Cllr Garvey said: “Within a week, there has been a backtrack and it’s been settled – that’s democracy, in action, where people come together to put something right.”