Councillors in Armley have put their weight behind a growing campaign to save the area’s historic golf club.
Gotts Park Golf Club is one of two municipal courses in the city which have been given a year’s reprieve as supporters build a case to save them from the axe.
However, as reported in the YEP yesterday, experts in the sport say all municipal courses can be successful with the right investment and marketing, and they are urging Leeds City Council to take positive and “joined up” action.
Armley Labour councillor Alison Lowe said: “The council should be investing in Armley, and look at keeping municipal golf courses in working class areas where we know there are health inequalities,
“If they are looking at cuts, it should be where there are other options.
“There are no alternatives in the Armley area.
“I want the council to look at how they are delivering golf in the area and at how we can maximise income and lessen the costs, “It will require investment, but the council will get the income back.”
Coun Lowe said she was “still not clear about the real costs of [running] Gott’s Park”, and is demanding to see a full financial breakdown.
“The golfers are investing a lot of money into the fabric of the building and because it’s Wades Trust land, it is not costing the council much,” she said
Jim McKenna, also an Armley Labour councillor, said the golf club and the park itself “could be much more” with proper investment, but that ensuring a fair geographical spread of municipal clubs across the city had to be a factor in any facility review.
But he also stressed: “We will have to look at reducing costs or we will still be in the same position in 2014.”
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