THE competition to run Pendle's sports centres and swimming pools is on again.

And it means that a period of uncertainty for about 100 council staff is likely to last until next year.

The winner of the new contract to manage sites such as Wavelengths at Nelson and Pendle Leisure Centre at Colne from April 1 should have been announced by now. But groups bidding for the management contract, which is currently handled by council staff, have returned to the starting line for a second time after Pendle Council decided to split the contract in two.

Private groups and the council's in-house teams will have to re-tender for the right to manage the leisure centres under one contract and carry out ground maintenance under a separate deal.

Previously, the work was handled under a single deal.

The council hopes that by splitting the contracts, there will be more competition and greater savings on its sites.

Instead of the new contract starting in April, council staff will continue to run the centres and maintain sports pitches until the contract race reaches a finish.

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