MAJOR work as part of a £425,000 plan to boost energy efficiency at a “vital” leisure centre and help keep running costs down has begun.

Clements Hall Leisure Centre in Clements Hall Way, Hawkwell received the cash back in April with work to repair the sites air conditioning system beginning yesterday.

Thanks to the Government funding, a range of work will take place including installing solar panels, a state-of-the-art pool cover to cut heating costs and replacing the air conditioning.

It is hoped the work will help make the Rochford Council-owned leisure centre more energy efficient as well as making it more attractive to future operators when the current contract with Fusion Lifestyle end next year.

Julie Gooding, Rochford councillor for Hawkwell West, is delighted and believes the work is being well-received by users of the leisure centre.

She said: “I am just delighted. I have had a lot of feedback and it is good to be able to give out some good news on the leisure centre.

“It has been a bone of contention, and we are finally getting work done as the contract comes to an end. It is out for procurement currently and we hope to see some vast improvements with what it can offer.”

It is also hoped the reduction in running costs could see extra capacity created so the leisure centre can be used to offer a range of health services in the future.

“The health and wellbeing aspect of the centre is really important, it will become more of an outreach centre, reaching out to surrounding rural areas like Canewdon, Great Wakering and other areas without a leisure centre,” Ms Gooding added.

The councillor believes the leisure centre has the potential to be a hub for health outreach, allowing various companies in the NHS to offer services, such as blood pressure tests, using the leisure centre as a base.

She added: “It is great for our residents, keeping them fit and healthy works as a preventative to not use the NHS when things are stretched.

“Lots of people are pleased to see this, its good to put something out there and just get a positive response “I also want to say that the staff at the centre have been amazing and pivotal to this.”