A MASSIVE shake-up is on the way for the day-to-day running of some of Swansea's bestused leisure facilities.

Everything from the city's hugely popular Grand Theatre to its indoor leisure and some outdoor leisure facilities are to fall under the microscope.

Councillors meet tomorrow to go through a report on indoor leisure that has been drawn up with a fine tooth comb.

But also being examined in the near future will be many other aspects of the authority's recreational facilities.

Councillor Darren Price, board chairman, said: "The council's indoor leisure facilities are very well used and popular local venues, so it's vitally important that any changes to their operation are scrutinised properly.

"The performance and finance scrutiny board looks at all major council projects, and members are keen to track the developments regarding the proposed changes to our leisure services. There are a number of issues and questions within the proposals in terms of future funding arrangements, management structures and staff transfers, and the council needs to get these things right."

Swansea Council had been considering several options including privatisation, a trust or continuing to run the facilities in-house. However, the favoured option seems to be a trust, or a not-for- profit organisation, which has proved successful in the running of the LC, and would have the benefits of business rate relief and VAT savings.

However, the contract with operators Bay Leisure and European legislation means it might not be possible for that particular trust to take over other leisure centres.

Mr Price added: "We have seen how a trust has successfully managed to run the LC since it was opened and so the opportunity clearly exists for the council's other leisure facilities to be run under a similar model.

"Neath Port Talbot Council already has a trust which runs leisure facilities, and other councils have a similar arrangement. I'm determined to ensure that whatever form the future management of leisure facilities takes, that standards and quality of service are maintained within our community facilities."

Due to time scales and the likely savings the council will be looking first at the indoor facilities such as Penlan, Morriston, Penyrheol and Cefn Hengoed leisure centres, and the Pontarddulais and Bishopston sport centres.