Community campaigners fighting to save Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre from closure have hailed a u-turn from Caerphilly Council as a victory for people power.
It comes after Labour’s council leader Dave Poole said the closure plans were being put on hold.
Activist Huw James, who has led resident protests against the council closure plans, has pledged that the campaign to permanently save the leisure centre will continue.
“We are surprised the council has listened to us as all we have had from them has been push-back against our views.
“We are meeting with Labour AM Rhianon Passmore this afternoon and are planning a further protest march and rally in Blackwood in March,” Mr James told Caerphilly Observer.
Caerphilly County Borough Council announced on February 16 that it is to defer plans to close the centre pending a wider review into leisure services.
Council leader Dave Poole said: “We have listened to the community and it is clear from the feedback received during a recent public consultation that there is widespread opposition to the closure of this facility.
“The council is about to undertake a major review of its leisure strategy, so we have agreed that we will defer the decision regarding the future of Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre as part of a wider discussion around leisure service provision across the whole county borough in the future.”
Pontllanfraith’s Labour ward councillor Gez Kirby said: “We three councillors for Pontllanfraith welcome this decision to listen to the concerns of residents.
“I now look forward to having an input into the review of the borough’s leisure services.”
Blackwood town councillor Zoe Hammond, who lives in Pontllanfraith, said: “This is a victory for people power.
“The council has put the closure on hold and this shows what can be achieved when communities come together against something that is blatantly wrong. The decision to close the centre was a short-sighted and flawed decision.
“I now want an assurance that the leisure centre is secure for the future and this ridiculous closure plan will not be revisited.”
The council’s cabinet decided to close the leisure centre in December last year.
The decision was put on hold after Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge put forward a successful motion to ‘call-in’ the decision for further scrutiny in January.
More than 60 residents turned up for the January special scrutiny meeting to show their anger at the proposed closure and also held a protest outside the council offices.
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