Hyndburn Council is to spend £766,531 on further boosting energy-saving measures at its main fitness and recreation hub.

The cash is made up of £241,447 from the government's Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) and £525,085 from the council's own capital budget.

The work at the Hyndburn Leisure Centre in Henry Street, Church, includes the installation of additional metering and monitoring software, fitting variable speed fans, upgrading the showers and replacing existing lighting.

A report to Tuesday's meeting of Hyndburn Council's cabinet by leisure transformation boss, Cllr Noordad Aziz, says: "I recommend we agree the use of the council’s approved capital programme of £766,532 (including £241,447 SPSF grant) to design and deliver energy efficiency works at Hyndburn Leisure Centre.

"Hyndburn Leisure Centre (HLC) has been identified as the council’s highest emitter of CO2 due to defunct fossil-fuelled plant.

"Working in partnership with the Leisure Trust, the Council has significantly reduced the CO2 emissions by 70 per cent. This is the biggest single contribution to the council’s pledge for net zero carbon activities by 2030.

"This was achieved when the Council received £1,988,324 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) funding to remove the gas supply and deliver a new electric-powered sub-station, air source heat pumps, solar panels, a battery store and new heating controls.

"The PSDS funding however did not allow for the wholesale replacement of the plant and, as such, there is still equipment working alongside the new, which is inefficient and beyond its life expectancy thus contributing to energy inefficiencies and high running costs of HLC.

"As such more work and funding will be required to replace this aged equipment if energy costs, and CO2 emissions are to be reduced further.

"The interventions with the highest proposed energy-saving results will be included in the scheme.

"They are: installation of additional metering and monitoring software and installation of variable speed fans

"This budget has been identified for plant replacement and further energy efficiency works.

"This may include upgrading shower water systems, replacing old lighting with LED fittings and upgrading the external lighting to the HLC and car park."