FLINTSHIRE County Council has abandoned plans to hand over the running of its sports and leisure facilities to a private company.
The decision, predicted exclusively in the Chronicle last month, was taken behind closed doors on Tuesday.
After the meeting, a statement was issued explaining why talks with Herfordshire-based Leisure Connection had been wound up without agreement.
The council statement said: 'Following detailed negotiations over the last year, the preferred partner company was, in recent weeks, unable to satisfy concerns by the council about the implications of new proposed conditions of contract.'
The partnership deal was intended to plough private capital into the council's ageing sports and leisure facilities.
But the two sides were unable to strike a deal, as executive member for education and leisure, Cllr Chris Bithell, explained: 'The council wanted to look at innovative ways to provide better leisure facilities for the people of Flintshire, and much hard work has been undertaken to explore this partnership option.
'It is with disappointment that we have decided not to pursue this option and end our negotiations.'
A number of councillors expressed serious concerns about a possible deal when it was revealed Leisure Connection had lost a major contract with Cheltenham Borough Council.
The company was Flintshire's number one choice to take over its sports and leisure facilities in a proposed 20-year public-private partnership deal.
Leisure Connection says it runs many council leisure facilities efficiently, providing a first-class service for the public.
The company says it manages four national sports centres, including Crystal Palace, Bisham Abbey, Lilleshall and the National Water Sports Centre.
The firm provides management services to 50 local authorities, on 120 sites, and over the last five years has invested more than £30m into community sports and leisure facilities in partnership with its clients.
The council will now have to explore alternative ways of financing its leisure services in future years to prevent a massive drain on its resources.
