Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, will be out with volunteers on Wednesday morning campaigning to save the Quays Swimming and Diving Complex from Tory privatisation plans. 

Dr Whitehead will be asking residents to sign a petition calling on the Conservatives to scrap their plans to privatise the award-winning and profit-making leisure centre.

The Conservative-run City Council has already spent £250,000 to encourage private firms to take on the running of the Quays, despite the fact it makes a profit for the city and was ranked the 2^nd best leisure venue in all of the UK and Ireland in 2008.

Dr Whitehead said:

“There are simply no good arguments for going ahead with these privatisation plans.  Right now other Councils are taking over privately run leisure centres to keep them open for the public.  The idea that the Conservatives would be able to secure a fair deal for the city in such an environment is a view that is almost certainly formed by dogma, not reality.”

Dr Whitehead added:

“And whatever the economic context, it is a fact that the Quays already provides an excellent service that makes a profit for the city.  It would be a huge blow to the city if a private operator were allowed to cut opening times or raised prices, which is almost certainly what would happen if these plans went ahead.”

PRESS CALL: Alan Whitehead MP will be with volunteers outside the main entrance of the Quays on Wednesday 9^th September between 9.30am-10.30am.  Press and photographers are welcome.