BOSSES at the multi-million pound Bolton Arena are bidding to take over the running of the town's struggling leisure centres.

The people behind the Middlebrook-based complex want to operate the borough's 12 centres, a move which will entail pumping in millions of pounds to bring them up to scratch.

But first they will have to explain where the money would come from since the Arena only breaks even each year and has to be partly funded by taxpayers in the form of a monthly subsidy.

Arena chiefs are currently compiling reports which they will put to the local authority's department of education and culture by January 27.

Bolton Arena, which was used as a venue for badminton during the Commonwealth Games, is expected to be in competition with three other private sector bidders and Keith Davies, deputy director for education and culture, said each would have an equal chance of winning the contract.

He said "several millions" of pounds is needed to upgrade the leisure centres across the borough with Horwich being in particular need of repairs.

The final decision on which firm will run the centres will be made by elected cabinet councillors.

Mr Davies said: "The details of Bolton Arena's bid have not been disclosed to us yet and the same goes for the other prospective bidders. There will be no preferential treatment given to any of them. We would have to establish that the firm working with the council would have enough money to spend. The council will not be bailing any future partner out."

It is believed private sector involvement is the only option left to the local authority in its bid to save and turn around the fortunes of the town's leisure centres.

Bolton Council would still own the buildings but the successful private company would plough cash into revamping them. It would also run the centres.

Mr Davies said Arena chiefs, if successful, would not be able to link their complex with the leisure centres. Both would have to be run and financed independently of each other.

That means the subsidies being handed to Bolton Arena by the council could not be used to finance the leisure centres. Yet insiders are still wondering how the Arena could spend money on bringing the leisure facilities up to scratch if it cannot generate enough cash for its current building.

A spokesman for the Arena would only say: "We are aware there is a bidding process to run Bolton's leisure centres."

The Excel Centre, Farnworth Leisure Centre and Horwich Leisure Centre will be the first to be run by the partnership. Facilities at Westhoughton, Deane, Turton, Sharples, Kearsley, Hayward, Little Lever, Harper Green and Withins would follow.