A recommendation to seek bids from other providers will be outlined in a commercially confidential report to be discussed by the council’s Cabinet on Wednesday.

The council say the move is one part of the its wider approach to transform local public services, which will see businesses, social enterprises, and voluntary and community groups taking over the running of services and facilities in Shropshire’s local communities over the next few years.

Five facilities Bridgnorth Leisure Centre, Market Drayton Swimming Centre, Oswestry Leisure Centre, Whitchurch Swimming Centre and Shrewsbury Sports Village and Indoor Bowls Hall are in the proposed competitive tendering process.

It’s expected the new leisure services contracts are expected to save the council hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said:

“We are extremely passionate about providing good public services to our residents.

“This review has offered us a great opportunity to explore how these important leisure facilities can be run differently, to give a better service at a lower cost in the future.

“I am very keen to see as many of our current cultural and leisure facilities as possible continue to play a part in local people’s lives, by improving their health and well-being. We cannot ignore the fact that our local communities could benefit more from some of these facilities being provided by somebody other than the council.

“So maintaining the status quo is clearly not an option, if we are to continue to keep these centres open and flourishing in the future.”

If agreed, the new arrangements for running these facilities could be in place by as early as April 2012.