Shareholders of Calne Leisure Centre will meet this evening to decide whether or not to transfer the centre back to Wiltshire Council.

The special general meeting takes place tonight at 7:30pm for shareholders to vote on handing over of the lease to the council.

The result of the shareholders’ vote will be made public at 9am tomorrow via the leisure centre website. If the proposals are given the go-ahead by shareholders, Wiltshire Council will become responsible for the future management of the centre with all current staff transferring their employment to the council.

Kevin Wells, chairman of Calne Leisure Centre board, said: “The public have been largely supportive, there’s not been as great a reaction as we might have expected, they see it is for the best.

“You try and prepare for these things and I think we communicated the message well and that has worked.”

Calne Leisure Centre has been run as an independent not-for-profit community venture since 2008 but the transfer would allow major capital investments as part of Wiltshire Council’s community campus project.

The facility, previously called the White Horse Leisure Centre, was run by a management company hired by North Wiltshire District Council.

Calne Leisure Action Group launched a campaign in 2007 to save the facility which had been forced to close after being part of the town since 1976.