Due to the ongoing delay in commencement with the refurbishment of the Heywood Leisure Centre, I request that a meeting be held with District and Town Officers and representatives from Heywood School, to discuss a possible programme of works to be undertaken at the Leisure Centre, to improve the swimming facilities.  The money has been ring fenced by the District Council, and a timetable should now be agreed with regard to delivery if the programme.

Cllr Coborn proposed and Cllr Morgan seconded the motion as at the agenda.

Cllr Coborn explained that the budget for improvements to the leisure centre had been in the council’s budget since 2006 and still no work had begun, while other centres in the district had been refurbished. His motion attempted to get all interested parties together to finally get something done. He commented that in the swimming pool changing rooms some ceiling tiles were stuck on with tape, adding that the current situation did a disservice to the people of Cinderford.

Cllr Martin said that this had been ongoing for years and the leisure centre was sub-standard, not even meeting basic disabilities requirements. She recognised that regeneration for Cinderford was in process but that nothing had yet happened. The town council was keen to become involved and she hoped that the whole district council would give its support to getting the work done.

Cllr Bevan expressed sympathy with the people of Cinderford and gave full support to the motion, commenting that Lydney had benefited from great improvements.

Cllr Riley, as Cabinet Member for Community, also expressed his support for the motion and sympathy with the feelings about the length of time the issue had taken. However he pointed out that there was still a lot of uncertainty concerning plans for the northern quarter of the district and that if works began the council might be spending money on duplication.

Cllr Quaile proposed that the question be put, but the proposal failed when put to a show of hands.

Cllr Morgan, as chairman of the Cinderford Regeneration Board, welcomed a meeting to finally sort out the matter. The money had been originally agreed to ensure satisfactory disabled access to the leisure centre and a single point of entry to the school for security purposes. He ended by stating that a resolution to this matter was long overdue.

Cllr Molyneux informed members that the plans for the northern quarter were moving on and that there would be an announcement in the near future resulting from the hard work put in by many people. He agreed that the proposed meeting should take place and should set a timetable for action. However he defended the council’s actions to date regarding Cinderford.

Cllr Hogan challenged Cllr Riley’s assertion regarding the works being a possible duplication of plans in the regeneration programme. He had not seen anywhere plans to replace the leisure centre or pool. Indeed the fitness centre was a nationally recognised facility. He added that currently the council was vulnerable to possible action over disabled access. He believed that after five years of procrastination the money in the budget had reduced in value and urged that action be taken now.

Cllr Horne said that she had recently visited Heywood Leisure Centre and had been horrified at the condition of the pool and changing rooms, compared with those in Newent and Lydney. It was high time that the money be spent, even if the people only enjoy the facility for a short time.

Summing up, Cllr Coborn thanked members for their support and urged that the matter be moved forward and the money be spent.

RESOLVED –

Due to the ongoing delay in commencement with the refurbishment of the Heywood Leisure Centre, I request that a meeting be held with District and Town Officers and representatives from Heywood School, to discuss a possible programme of works to be undertaken at the Leisure Centre, to improve the swimming facilities. The money has been ring fenced by the District Council, and a timetable should now be agreed with regard to delivery if the programme.

Voting was as follows:

For (30) – Marrilyn Smart, Roger Yeates, Venk Shenoi, Carole Allaway Martin, Jane Horne, Frankie Evans, Dennis Dormer, Len Lawton, Alastair Fraser, James Bevan, Gabriella Kirkpatrick, Derek Biddle, Philip Burford, Norman Stephens, Arthur Thomas, Maria Edey, Dave East, Andrew Gardiner, Mike Meredith-Edwards, Heather Dalziel, Roy Birch, David Thomson, Bruce Hogan, Lynn Sterry, Max Coborn, Graham Morgan, Di Martin, Terry Hale, Terry Glastonbury, Denis Riley, Patrick Molyneux, Martin Quaile

Against (0)

Abstained (0)