Secondary schools across the Forest could be asked to take on leisure centres as the council looks to offload swimming pools and gyms.

The council is set to shake up leisure services in a bid to save £190,000.

And next year they will approach schools in Cinderford, Coleford, Lydney, Newent and Sedbury about running the facilities on the same sites.

Councillor Denis Riley, cabinet member for the community, says leisure services will have to save £190,000 if £2.3 million of planned cutbacks over the next four years are rubber stamped by the council cabinet on Thursday.

He said: "During the next 12 months we will be exploring a range of options for the existing facilities. We're looking at all possible options, which include the idea that schools may like to be involved in the running of them as all our leisure centres are on sites with schools.

"This concept has been used successfully in other areas, but nothing has been decided at this stage and the council has made no direct approaches to any of our site partners."

He says to minimise the effect on front line leisure services there will be a restructure of leisure staff at the council's main offices.

"This is still in the very early stages and the five staff members involved are being consulted at the moment," he said.

David Thorns, chairman of governors at Heywood in Cinderford, which specialises in sport, said a consultant is looking at all possible options for the future of the secondary school and they would not consider taking over any loss making facilities.

"Our funding is to run a school and as a matter of principle, the governors could not subsidise a leisure centre," he said. "If we were to take it over it would have to be cost free to the school."