THE NEW leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council has confirmed Shadsworth Leisure Centre is to be reopened – including the swimming pool.

But Kate Hollern, whose Labour group only regained control on Tuesday after three-and-a-half years, admitted ‘unpopular decisions’ were to be taken as the council looks for an anticipated £50m in budget cuts.

Full details of the leisure centre’s reopening have not yet been confirmed ahead of a meeting with users on Tuesday.

The borough’s 22 police community support officers will also be retained after Labour pledged to find the £220,000 needed to keep their posts.

Labour secured a vote of no confidence in the coalition by 33 to 29 on Tuesday night, and yesterday the new executive board met senior officers to plan how they will find the savings.

Coun Hollern said: “There are plans to reopen it. We just need to work out the detail. It all depends on what the users say.”

With more spending cuts expected in next month’s spending review, Coun Hollern said some people had told her taking over was a ‘poisoned chalice’, and admitted: “You can’t find £50m by tinkering around the edges.”

She insisted some savings had been identified, and confirmed she planned to press ahead with plans to reduce the number of senior managers at the town hall.

The proposed Youth Zone project in the town centre would continue, she said, but there was no money for the Arts in the Park concert.

Meanwhile, the coalition of Conservative, Liberal Democrat and For Darwen councillors that has run the council since 2007 has disbanded.

Outgoing Tory council leader Mike Lee said the three parties would separate now they were in opposition, but there would still be ‘a dialogue’ between them.