John Swinney admits constituents have expressed Perth leisure concerns to him

The first minister wants further talks between both sides of Perth leisure debate.

By Sean O'Neil

May 23 2025, 6:01am

First Minister John Swinney in Dunkeld. Image: Richard Hancox/DC Thomson.

First Minister John Swinney has encouraged Perth and Kinross Council to continue engaging with the community on their controversial leisure plans.

Speaking to The Courier, Mr Swinney admitted people had raised concerns with him directly regarding the future of Bell’s Sports Centre.

Sports clubs and residents have lashed out at plans to build a new leisure centre at Thimblerow without a dedicated leisure pool and proposals to turn Bell’s into an unheated arena with artificial pitches.

Sports groups protesting outside Bell’s. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

More than 6,200 people have signed two petitions against the ideas.

Campaigners, including Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network, want Bell’s reopened for indoor sports and a leisure pool built at Glover Street.

“I’ve had people coming to see me with concerns about the proposals at Bell’s,” said Mr Swinney.

“I think it’s important that the aspirations that they are setting out are properly considered.”

Council facilities are vital to community

The first minister encouraged communication between the factions but admitted money was an issue.

Mr Swinney said: “The council’s got to wrestle with very significant financial challenges around any particular project.

“Now what I do know is that the council has engaged substantively with the local community on these questions.

“I would encourage, obviously, that dialogue to carry on.

“But I recognise – I’m the first to recognise because I’m wrestling with it all the time – the challenges and the public finances the council will face because there will be multiple demands that they’ve got to address.”

However, the Perthshire MSP was adamant that quality sport and leisure services provided by the local authority were vital for communities.

First Minister John Swinney being interviewed by The Courier’s Sean O’Neil. Image: Richard Hancox/DC Thomson

He said: “There’s got to be good council leisure services.

“It’s absolutely vital.

“The health and wellbeing of the population needs a certain amount of active intervention by individuals themselves but they’ve got to have facilities to use.

“And they’ve got to be affordable and accessible for members of the public.

“I think councils being active in this whole area of policy is vital for the health and wellbeing for the population.”

Debate on future expected next month

Perth and Kinross Council has come in for much criticism for their consultation on Bell’s which campaigners have slammed as “misleading”.

Equality concerns have also been raised around numerous decisions taken by the local authority and Live Active Leisure regarding their leisure provision over the last 12 months.

The future of PH2O, Bell’s Sports Centre and Dewars Centre is expected to go before councillors again next month.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We have met with the Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network and their proposals will be considered as part of our response to the consultation.

“These plans are also informed by the findings of our Leisure Assets Review, which looked at demand and usage across all our facilities in Perth and Kinross, and the available capital budget.”