The challenges of operating ageing leisure facilities in need of redevelopment with zero subsidy has seen Trafford Community Leisure Trust (TCLT) hand over responsibility for the borough's leisure facilities to a new Community Interest Company (CIC).

Trafford Leisure CIC has assumed control of the eight leisure centres, two golf courses and community sport initiatives that TCLT delivered on behalf of Trafford Council since 2003, with 500 TCLT employees transferring to the new company.

Trafford Leisure CIC is wholly owned by Trafford Council and its necessity became clear when TCLT terminated its contract with the council last year following a £450,000 funding cut. TCLT indicated that, as a small local charity, it could not afford the investment in facility upgrades while continuing to operate the Centres with no subsidy.

“The Leisure Trust over the past 12 years have done a fantastic job, taking 800,000 customer visits in the first year in which it operated to 2.5 million in recent years, making Trafford one of the most active boroughs in the UK,” said Trafford Leisure CIC chief operating officer Jo Cherrett.

“We have a lot of challenges ahead and we are looking forward to tackling these but ultimately our aim is to take on from where the Leisure Trust left off and build on the Trust's strengths and develop a first class leisure operation that the whole of the Trafford community deserves”.