Leisure to bear the brunt of further cuts in Sheffield

The funding of both sport and cultural facilities are in question in Sheffield, as the council strives to make £50m of cuts to its 2013-14 budget, on top of £140m in the last two years.

Don Valley Stadium where heptathlete, Jessica Ennis, trained for the Olympics is in question. Its demolition could save £700,000 a year and would avoid the necessary investment of £1.6m in coming years.

The Woodbourn Road Stadium, which was closed 18 months ago to save money, could be refurbished and reopened to provide outdoor running facilities.

This news comes on the back of the recent announcement of £10m of government money being ploughed into Sheffield sports facilities, including a £5m refurbishment of Sheffield Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre, in order to create a National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine in the city.

Further to this, 14 of Sheffield’s 27 libraries may close unless volunteers come forward to run them. Museums Sheffield, Sheffield Theatres, The Site Gallery and the Showroom Cinema could also have their budgets cut.

Chief executive of Museums Sheffield, Kim Streets, says of its proposed £200,000 reduction: “We are currently in negotiation over a reduction to Museums Sheffield’s annual grant. Over the coming weeks we will be working with the Council to finalise plans which address the challenges ahead while continuing to safeguard the city’s museums and galleries for the people of Sheffield.”