LEISURE centres in Liskeard and Saltash could be sold to a private operator as part of Cornwall Council's cost-cutting plans.

The council's cabinet this week gave its backing to plans to try to sell the county's leisure centre network.

The move forms the basis of the council's leisure resources strategy drawn up as the result of the council having to make savings of nearly £200m over the next four years.

Cabinet members were told the total leisure service budget for 2014/15 is £4.970m. The service is currently run on the council's behalf by Tempus Leisure. Council officials have stated that their aim is to reduce the leisure budget to zero by 2017.

The council acknowledges that the availability of leisure facilities is of concern to all local users as well as visitors and points out that while the provision of leisure services is not a statutory duty, it does have a duty to protect, maintain and improve the health and well-being of the population.

Council official Sophie Hosking said: 'The strategy proposes that the council's ambition of maintaining a network of facilities can best be met through the transfer of ownership and provision to one or more other organisations.'

While private sector interest in the leisure facilities is sought, it will be business as usual.

The aim, she said, was to keep the network as it is but there was no guarantee that all facilities would remain open. To secure investment in some facilities, alternative uses may be sought for others.