BLAENAU Gwent councillors will discuss transferring ownership of some public open spaces over to the Life Leisure Trust at a meeting tomorrow.

A report will be presented to a full council meeting today which explains that as part of the agreed principle of transferring the council’s leisure services to Life Leisure Trust, the council is transferring a number of properties from which the service is delivered.

A few of these properties, which are classed as public open space, are Parc Bryn Bach in Tredegar (excluding the lake area), the house and park at Bedwellty Park in Tredegar and Tredegar Leisure Centre and playing fields.

The Life Leisure Trust was established to operate the leisure, cultural and community learning facilities and services and was set up earlier this year as a way for the council to save money and as an important investment in and delivery of the services.

The report states there has been some objection to the proposal to transfer the ownership of the three sites including the use of the term ‘disposal’ by the council with regards to the public open spaces.

The report says: “As part of transferring the leisure service to the Leisure Trust, there will be a need to grant leases of the properties involved to Life Leisure Trust. As the grant of a lease is classed technically as a disposal and the three sites are classed as public open space, there is a statutory requirement for the council to advertise its intention with any objections to the proposals being considered by the council.”

The report states that while the council will be disposing of the assets when it grants the leases, it will be retaining the freehold ownership of the sites.

The Argus previously reported how the council had said the trust is an important part of the savings plans for 2014/15 onward and is vital for the continued investment in and delivery of leisure services.