SENIOR councillors are set to approve plans to take over the running of a golf course following its “unforeseeable” closure at the beginning of the month.

East Dorset District Council’s cabinet is being asked to give the go-ahead for officers to take over the running of the Moors Valley centre through an ‘integrated golf/health and wellbeing offer’.

The course is owned by the council but closed suddenly earlier this month after Mack Trading, which leased and ran the facility, ceased trading.

Now, councillors are being asked to consider the future of the 200-acre site at Wednesday’s (October 31) cabinet meeting.

A report to the committee says that the council could not have foreseen the company’s financial troubles.

“Mack Trading had regularly paid the quarterly rent due and had not discussed their financial situation with the council,” it says. “East Dorset District Council was not in any position to have foreseen the insolvency.

“There has been an initial understanding by the Moors Valley Golf Club and season ticket holders but it must be considered that this will not last indefinitely.

“In the near future, the club, season ticket holders and local regular users will be looking to the council for action and reputational risk will become an issue.”

Following a meeting with golfers on October 10, several options for the course’s future have been considered by council officers.

It includes the possibility of its closure, however it is estimated that maintenance of the 200 acres of fallow land would still cost £50,000 a year.

Organising a new private operator and a council-run standalone golf centre have also been considered but are considered to be less preferable to an “innovative” combined golf course and ‘healthy activity centre’, which it is estimated could turn a £37,000 profit next year.

As well as allowing the course to continue running, income would also be used to subsidise the work of the council’s health and activity work which currently relies on funding which is due to expire next year.

The report adds: “It will allow the mainstreaming of the health and activity activities and staff through the sustainable income of the golf course and a mutually-beneficial relationship to the promotion of health and activity.”