01:16 > Tuesday 9th February 2010
No re-think on leaisure scheme
07 December 2006
ANGRY councillors have failed in a bid to get a decision to build a new £1-million leisure centre in St Albans reconsidered.
The go-ahead for the complex at Westminster Lodge was taken by the district council's Liberal Democrat-controlled cabinet.
But the project would come at the expense of the London Colney and Bricket Wood leisure centres which would close when new facilities were available. However a new indoor facility would be built in Cotlandswick, London Colney.
It will also mean the loss of the Bricket Wood swimming pool, and the 33-metre pool at Westminster Lodge will be replaced by a 25-metre one.
Labour and Conservative councillors have attacked the proposals and called on the cabinet to reconsider its decision.
Leading the criticism, Cllr Malcolm MacMillan said: "The proposals for leisure are more about hardship than flagship. They will mean a loss of halls for recreation and less water space for swimming."
He also claimed that a sell-off of council-owned land, including green community spaces, would be needed to raise cash to fund the project.
He maintained that potential private funding had been lost because of a lack of clarity over the council's relationship with Leisure Connection, the company which currently runs the council's leisure services.
Former leisure portfolio holder, Cllr John Newman, who now sits as an independent member, said: "This cabinet has produced a sad little scheme which is not adequately funded. What is missing here is the strength to drive forward a major project. The two major projects this cabinet has worked on so far, the cinema and the leisure centre, have been completely screwed up."
Concerned
Cllr Julian Daly said he was concerned that the funding identified for the scheme was only around 50 per cent of the estimated cost. He added: "Crucial to the scheme is a decision to starve the south of the district of leisure provision."
And Cllr Chris Flynn pointed out: "This is a bad decision. It comes after the council has handed out large amounts of money to renovate the swimming pool at Bricket Wood and now we are to get rid of it."
Sport and healthy living portfolio holder Cllr Sheila Burton said she was not prepared to take back the decision to cabinet.
She added: "This is a flagship scheme which will not only provide better facilities for swimming, including proper competition facilities which have been welcomed by the two major swimming clubs but will also for the first time provide facilities for young people which will include space for bands and rehearsal rooms."
Resources portfolio holder Cllr Chris Oxley accused the opposition groups of trying to delay the scheme. He said: "We all want super facilities but we are not going to pursue schemes which we cannot achieve.
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