04:05 > Tuesday 10th November 2009
Kicking up a stink
19 May 2005
SPORTS-centre users have hit out at the poor state of the facilities at Westminster Lodge.
Representatives of clubs which use the St Albans sports centre and the adjoining running track were largely critical when it came to describing conditions at a special district council scrutiny committee this week.
Complaints ranged from facilities such as the toilets and jacuzzi not working to the length of time users had to queue to use the showers - only to find they didn't work properly.
There were also concerns raised about the cleanliness of the sports centre and the running-track changing rooms as well as the lack of maintenance.
The meeting invited residents to come along and give their views about Westminster Lodge, Bricket Wood and London Colney sports centres.
All three centres are due to be replaced - Westminster Lodge by 2009 and, in principle, Bricket Wood and London Colney by a new community facility in the south of the district.
They are currently run by Leisure Connection on behalf of the district council but the two parties are in dispute over the extent of reinstatement work to be carried out before the contract ends.
Cllr Malcolm MacMillan, chairman of the scrutiny committee, admitted he was surprised at how strongly people at the meeting felt about the facilities at Westminster Lodge.
He said: "The thing which came through was the filth down there. What we said was we were not prepared to wait until 2009 to address this because it needs to be dealt with now."
He added: "I had no idea that the views of the users were so strong. I had heard that there were problems in the pool ceiling and problems in the showers but I hadn't realised it was so widespread.
"We were getting evidence from three bodies alone representing about 700 people, especially youngsters, and damning everything about the place.
"The idea that we should wait more than three years for action is unthinkable."
But the council's heritage, arts and tourism portfolio holder, Cllr Melvyn Teare, who was at the meeting, said: "There were some concerns expressed by individuals but these are matters we have in hand which we have to get resolved with both the current and new leisure contractors."
He said that the specification which had been drawn up for the new leisure contractors - who are due to be named shortly - specifically targeted cleaning and other performance indicators.
The portfolio holder for sport and healthy living, Cllr Sheila Burton, stressed that council officers did monitor conditions at sports facilities and took money from Leisure Connection if necessary.
She added: "A lot of it is to do with the dilapidation which is part of on-going negotiations with Leisure Connection but if it's dirty and unhygienic then it needs improvement now.
All original material on this page, unless specified by another URL, is the property of Archant and may not be reproduced without permission. Click here to find out more...