Community lets at schools across South Lanarkshire have been suspended until the end of the month with immediate effect.
South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) have also been forced to cancel certain community hall lets from today (Monday, January 10) until the end of the month.
The closures are due to rising levels of COVID-related staff absence, with the situation due to be revisited on January 30.
With the same pressures being faced by most employers, both SLLC and South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) are reviewing the services both organisations can provide at this time.
The local authority are, however, focussing resources on essential and priority services, including SLC schools, where the same staff who provide janitorial, cleaning and catering services are also required if after-school lets are booked.
They say that suspending some hall lets on a temporary basis will allow SLLC to manage absences and relocate staff so they can "continue to support other services, including the NHS response to the pandemic."
A spokesman for SLC told Lanarkshire Live: "SLLC will be able to accommodate some lets in larger halls such as Integrated Community Facilities and cultural venues, and bookings of outdoor synthetic pitches will be able to continue but with no access to changing rooms and limited access to toilet facilities.
"Anyone with bookings affected by this will be contacted directly.
"Both SLC and SLLC apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank residents and customers for their understanding."
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