Cllr Joshua Sheard, Cllr Mark Thompson and Cllr Liz Smaje.

I am looking for signatures to sign this petition to oppose the closure of Batley Sports and Tennis Centre. 

As some of you have heard the worrying news, the Kirklees Council is proposing the closure of Batley Sports and Tennis Centre due to not being able to offer KAL the same level of financial support as in previous years due to them trying to make financial cuts to stop bankruptcy. 

This centre is the home to Howden Clough football club and has been for many decades and we are asking locals to help us fight to keep our home and our children's football club safe. Howden Clough JFC alone has over 300 children using its facilities per week. Not to mention the other sporting clubs that use the facilities too, for example, Yorkshire Elite, White Rose, Farsley Celtic, just to name a few.

Local schools such as Windmill C of E Primary School, and Batley Girls High School just to name a couple are in regular use of the sports centre facilities as well as North Kirklees School Sports Partnership which also delivers physical education to children using these facilities.

Amongst other things, this sports centre is a community hub for other sporting facilities, ranging from tennis to swimming and more used by people of all ages, and socio-economic groups. This facility is a massive part of the Birstall and Batley community, even families from afar come to use this facility for one of many clubs and events held at Batley Sports and Tennis Centre. The sports centre is always extremely busy and the loss of it will majorly impact the community.

The purpose of this petition is to provide Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) and Kirklees Council that the people of Birstall, Batley and beyond will not let a huge part of our community go without trying our hardest to save it. 

Our children need their hobbies such as football, tennis and swimming, as well as a recreational space and a safe place to go which is what our sports centre provides for them. 

This will also put many people at risk of losing their jobs whilst we are in a cost-of-living crisis. 

Please help sign this petition, not just for Howden Clough JFC but for the whole community.