REOPENING a leisure centre in Southampton would cost thousands of pounds each week, a city councillor has claimed. 

Finance boss for the outgoing Conservative administration, Cllr John Hannides, says Labour's plans to reopen St Mary's Leisure Centre would cost the taxpayer up to £5,000 a week in running costs. 

He also said that around £400,000 would be needed just to get the centre to a point where it is safe to reopen. 

His comments come after newly-elected leader of the council, Cllr Satvir Kaur, announced the party's intention to repair and reopen the popular venue. 

In a tweet, Cllr Kaur stated: "Labour formally take control on May 18th - after which we will start our plans to make repairs and reopen". 

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The centre was closed last December after an agreement with Solent University to run the site came to an end, sparking a campaign by users to have it reopened. 

Cllr Hannides said: "What [Labour] need to justify is at a time of severe public sector funding constraints regarding the pressures that are there, at a time of there being the cost of living crisis, they're going to pay a minimum of £5,000 a week subsidising St Mary's Leisure Centre.

"And they’re going to have to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds to repair the building.

Daily Echo: Cllr John Hannides. Cllr John Hannides.

"We felt under the circumstances it was very difficult to justify when we know there are very serious demands on public sector support.

"If you don’t address the problem early on it just becomes even more costly when you do have to fix it."

The Tory councillor also claimed that roads, pavements and schools won't get fixed as a result of funding being used for the centre.

"There’s a school in the heart of St Mary's that needs repairing, Mount Pleasant Junior School, it’s in need of serious repair," he added.

"We felt there were opportunities to give way to more modern leisure facilities in the neighbourhood."

Daily Echo: Cllr Satvir Kaur. Cllr Satvir Kaur.

Cllr Kaur previously stated that the council has "admitted to having the money" and that by closing the centre, the Conservatives were ignoring the voices of the more than 80 per cent of residents who responded to a consultation calling for the site to stay open. 

It is not yet known when St Mary's Leisure Centre will reopen and who will run it when it does. 

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