COUNCIL chiefs have agreed to budget for a £120,000 refurbishment programme of Longridge Sports Centre.

Changing rooms at the Preston Road building, which adjoins Longridge High School, were recently renovated, with £21,000 already identified to improve public areas at the centre.

But members of Ribble Valley Borough Council's community committee agreed to a more extensive refurbishment programme, with the full £120,000 needed for the scheme to be included in the capital programme for 2004/2005.

Leisure and Tourism officer Chris Hughes told the committee: "Proposals were also made for minor improvements to reception areas, which have seen little change since the opening 25 years ago. The idea was to improve squash changing rooms, outdoor stores and redecorate the main receptions.

"But as work progressed in identifying key needs for the centre, it became apparent that we should perhaps be looking at more significant improvements than initially outlined."

Key improvements include reassessing disabled access to the reception, changing rooms, lower bar and fitness room in order to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Increased external storage and fire escapes have also been suggested to deter vandals, along with greater separation of the sports centre reception from school facilities to improve both quality and access to customers.

It is also hoped the reception and communal areas will also be improved, with plans to move the reception from one end of the complex to the other.

Mr Hughes added: "There is currently £21,000 available to improve public areas at the centre, but if we were to revise the scheme to include all the key changes needed, the cost would be in the region of £120,000."

Supporting the plans, Coun Graham Sowter of Billington said: "The longer term view makes sense. There is no guarantee we will spend the money but it's the right approach."

Longridge councillor Mary Wilson said: "The centre is incomplete as it is. I hope the committee agrees to the funding."

Coun Charles Warkman, of Mellor, questioned the implications of not complying to the Disability Discrimination Act by 2004.

But Mr Hughes said: "In some cases it is not possible to implement all the changes. We must prove we are taking all possible steps to improve the centre for disabled users."