From May 1, Anglia Community Leisure (ACL) will take control of leisure centres, swimming pools and community centres in Mildenhall, Brandon and Newmarket.

Cllr Geoffrey Jaggard, leader of the council, said: "This move will mean long-term savings for Forest Heath District Council.

"The aim is for the trust to secure value for money for local taxpayers in providing leisure services, while having the interest of the residents at heart when managing and seeking to improve facilities."

ACL is a new charitable, not-for-profit organisation established purely to provide leisure and cultural services. It will work initially on an interim agreement, which will then be extended to a 10-year contract.

All leisure services staff currently employed by the district council will transfer to ACL. A similar move was made by financial services staff in 2004 when the Anglia Revenues Partnership (ARP) was formed.

ACL chief executive Tony Bass, who was previously head of leisure at the district council, said the project would cut the authority's costs.

He said: "We were set-up as a charity run by voluntary trustees, so it will benefit from immediate savings, such as no VAT and cut rates. As a charitable trust we can also apply for additonal funding which the council can't."

He added that members of the public would not see any immediate differences in the leisure services, apart from changes in staff uniform, stationery and logos.

As the organisation progresses it would look to make larger changes to improve the existing facilities, added Mr Bass.

There will be no changes to entry costs for customers.

District council website: http://www.forest-heath.gov.uk/