19:05 > Tuesday 10th November 2009
Paying the price lax checks leave council in dispute over millions in leisure bills
21 April 2005
A LACK of controls in the way leisure services in St Albans were handed over to a private contractor more than 10 years ago could now cost the district council dear.
There is an argument between the council and its present contractors, Leisure Connection, over repairs and maintenance of sports and recreation facilities across the district.
This wrangle follows a survey by architects appointed by the council which identified that £3 million of repair work on the district's leisure facilities will need to be done now or in the future.
The council is at present negotiating with Leisure Connection on a building-by-building basis in a bid to establish liability for the work.
Now strict new rules are to be put in place in a bid to avoid any future dispute between the and leisure contractors over maintenance of buildings.
For it has been revealed that no survey of the condition of the Westminster Lodge complex, which includes the swimming pool, was undertaken before the original contractors, St Albans Leisure, took over in 1994.
Community Services strategic director Steve Welch said: "We are determined we will not be in this position again and in preparing for a new contract which should be in place later this year, we are introducing much stricter conditions."
He maintained the council's leisure department had also been strengthened with the appointment of extra staff to ensure that there was proper monitoring in the future.
Heritage and tourism portfolio holder, Cllr Melvyn Teare, said: "I think one of the problems with the original contract was that the company which won it was basically the council's management team. And the problems have increased because of a number of takeovers over the years."
Sport and healthy living portfolio holder, Cllr Sheila Burton, added: "We are now negotiating with Leisure Connection on a facility-by-facility basis and we are making good progress."
It is estimated that the negotiations will take around three months and the Westminster Lodge swimming pool complex - which is the most contentious site - will be left until last.
A decision on a preferred bidder for the new leisure contract is expected to be announced by the end of the month - despite the fact that one of the two companies shortlisted is the present operator Leisure Connection with whom the council is arguing. The other contractor in the race is DC Leisure Management.
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