BROMSGROVE Council are closing Haybridge Sports Centre to the public at the end of March 2009. I find it very disappointing that local residents have not been invited to comment on or been involved in the decision making process. The facilities and services provided for children/ teenagers in Hagley are currently very sparse and parents already have to transport children to other towns for them to partake in activities. The Sports Centre provides Hagley with somewhere for the adults and children to go to enjoy sporting activities and keep active.

The government is more than aware of the increasing obesity levels in children and are promoting healthy eating and lifestyle changes. So why are they now choosing to close Haybridge Sports Centre and go against its own policies and objectives? Maybe the cabinet members would like to take a trip to Haybridge and read the mission statement that is displayed on the reception wall!

Also on the Bromsgrove website sports page it states 'The main objective of Bromsgrove Sports Development is to encourage people to follow an active lifestyle through participating in exercise and sport.

‘This can be achieved by working in partnerships with schools, leisure centres and clubs, and by doing this we can create opportunities for people to take part in regular sport and exercise.

‘BSD aims to create sporting opportunities so that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy their experience of sport and join a sports club of their interest.'

How are the council honoring this if they are to close of the only two centres in the district?

Helen Taylor Hagley