Victory in campaign to save Levenshulme Baths
On 8 February Labour-run Manchester City Council was the first to announce its budget cuts - £109 million worth. Among community amenities being axed were several libraries, some advice centres and half a dozen fitness and leisure centres. The south Manchester neighbourhood of Levenshulme – ethnically and economically mixed with some pockets of severe deprivation was the worst affected – facing the loss of its leisure centre, Sure Start scheme and its historic swimming pools.
The baths were a contentious choice to cut by the council, which had spent more than £200,000 in 2010 upgrading the facilities but was insisting full refurbishment was too expensive at more than £300,000 and the only viable option was to close it.