Fears were this week raised about plans to bring in a private provider to run Burton's Meadowside Leisure Centre.
It is owned, and currently run, by East Staffordshire Borough Council, which has done a wonderful job in revamping the High Street centre. The facility is so, so, vital to Burton and allows thousands of people from the town to keep fit and healthy.
Given that the NHS is under massive financial pressure ensuring people stay in shape has never been more important.
And, on the face of it, bringing in a new organisation with leisure industry expertise to run the Meadowside, while saving £600,000 of tax-payers' money, seems like a good move.
However, the major fear is that, because any trust which steps into the breach will be motivated primarily with making a profit, prices will go up.
That could be disastrous, as the poorest people using the brilliant facility may no longer to able to afford a trip to the gym or a swim in the pool.
It would be impossible to quantify the effect this could have, but it could cost health services a lot more than £600,000 in the long run.
We must stress that it very much remains to be seen whether bringing in a private trust would result in a more expensive service. Who knows? It may be vastly improved and prices could remain the same.
But, until any deal goes through and becomes a reality, fears people could be priced out of keeping fit will remain.
