Leisure cuts will cost tax payers dear (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Leisure cuts will cost tax payers dear

CHOPPING facilities at Cirencester's new leisure centre will cost the tax payer £150,000 in "wasted" costs.

And, if Cotswold District Council fails to make a decision over which plans to choose for the facility next week, it will set the authority back a further £600,000.

The news is revealed in a report, which was due to be discussed by the executive committee today (Thursday) and will be presented to the full council on Tuesday.

The leisure centre is one of several projects which are being re-examined by the controlling Conservative group as part of a major review on council spending.

Plans were agreed by the previous council for a £6 million facility on the existing Cirencester Cattle Market site.

The move is a joint initiative with financial services firm St James's Place, which will then build its new headquarters on the existing leisure centre site.

But the Tories have asked for fresh plans to be drawn up for the new centre based on a budget of £5 million.

And three new options are being put forward, including one for a centre without a swimming pool and another for the facility minus a sports hall.

Other facilities, such as squash courts, a spa, and the bar and restaurant could also be axed.

The report says: "If the council decides to pursue one of options one to three, rather than the existing proposal, abortive costs of around £150,000 will have to be charged to revenue reserves and the project on-site start date will move from August 31, 2004, to March 31, 2005.

The report states: "There may need to be minor amendments to the planning permission for the existing scheme. A decision to pursue one of the new options will require a new full application to be submitted for approval by the council."

Even more dramatic is the fact that CDC will be forced to pay £600,000 on abortive costs if councillors fail to reach a decision at all.

The figure includes both the authority's costs and those of St James's Place, and could potentially leave the latter looking for yet another site. The report says the existing leisure centre is nearing the end of its "useful life" and the swimming pool hall, in particular, is suffering from structural problems.

But, whatever the council decides to do, the decision to review the scheme has delayed the project by six months already.

And, if one of the three "axing" options is chosen, it will mean the council will have to start from scratch - nearly 18 months after the original plans were unveiled to the public.

* A Cirencester internet firm is offering to set up a website to campaign for the safeguard of facilities at the new leisure centre.

Peter Matthews, who runs web applications and hosting company Far Design, says he is disgusted the council is considering a reduction in services.

He said: "As a local person, whose family use the current facilities regularly, I am concerned that Cirencester will end up with a local government sponsored fitness club rather than a proper leisure centre."