Teignbridge Council is set to pay South Dartmoor Community College £140,000 to take control of the 'struggling' Ashmoor Recreation Centre, Ashburton.

The authority hopes the move will improve facilities and save tax payers £35,000 a year from 2014.

A report commissioned by Teignbridge, concluded that Ashmoor – which is owned by the college but has been run jointly with the council for ten years – had 'struggled' to improve its performance despite the management's 'professionalism and skills'.

Tax payers last year pumped almost £58,000 into the running costs so now a two-year package has been thrashed out.

South Dartmoor would receive £40,000 towards the revenue bill and a further £100,000 to help improve facilities.<