Tenby could see a new pool and ‘family entertainment centre’ built as part of the county council’s “vision” for leisure services over the next ten years.

Consultantants Leisure Strategy has been working with senior Pembrokeshire County Council officers and cabinet members to develop a leisure strategy for 2018-28.

Cabinet member for economy, tourism, leisure and culture Cllr Paul Miller said that the service was to take the “braver” route and would make capital investments to improve leisure access to generate income.

“You can expect to see investment in flagship sport and leisure sites across Pembrokeshire, a deal with communities to fund new facilities and a step change in how we put our users front and centre of all that we do.

“Currently, our residents are more active than people in all bar three other local authorities in Wales. In 2028, I know that’s going to be all bar none,” states Cllr Miller in his executive summary.

Leisure Strategy director Rachel Fowler ran through the detailed report for members of the Policy and Pre-decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, June 14.

Highlighted schemes were a new pool for Tenby’s leisure centre and the possibility of a ‘family entertainment centre’ in the seaside town, designed to be ideal in wet weather.

This, Cllr Miller, said would not be usual leisure activities but would offer something different such as indoor golf, high ropes or bowling. He added that the proposal had been designed and located to avoid duplication of provision and being “anti-competitive.”

The strategy also includes potential for changing opening hours at smaller leisure centre sites as well as the possibility of parking charges, although this was opposed by a number of committee members. Further work on the possibility of car parking charges would be brought back before any decision were made councillors were told.

Transforming digital access to facilities would also be implemented, with a whole new website just for leisure activities developed which  would also allow users to book or renew online.

The potential for greater access to facilities using swipe cards would also be explored, possibly allowing longer opening hours at all centres. Membership costs would be examined, with the potential for increase considered when facilities are added or improved, such as increasing the space for indoor cycling at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre.

Different types of memberships, possibly focusing on one area of activity, will also be examined.

Cllr Miller said around £933,523 of savings had been identified over the next ten years along with more investment.

More savings could be made by closing facilities or charging schools for sites but “I don’t want to do that” Cllr Miller said.

“It’s about giving local communities more so we can generate more and justifiably change membership prices.

“We feel we can run competitively and efficiently all our sites as they are,” he added. There would be investment in 3G pitches, with community partnerships taking over running the sites, and a more provision created at the site of the new English language secondary school, if the Sir Thomas Picton site is chosen.

The site to close under the ten year plan is Haverfordwest’s indoor tennis dome at Tasker Milward, but similar provision would be at the new school, Cllr Miller told members.

The committee agreed to accept the ten year strategy, with the proviso car park reviews were brought back to a future meeting, and praised the hard work that had gone into its preparation.