Investigation for sport centre plan
A controversial decision by Northampton Borough Council's cabinet to consider setting up a charitable trust to take over the management of the town's leisure centre's will be investigated after opposition councillors raised official complaints.
At the beginning of the month, the authority's leaders backed plans to create a trust to take over the operation of the Mounts Baths, Lings Forum and Danes Camp leisure centres, despite opposition politicians labelling the decision an "outrage".
Councillor Tony Clarke, (Ind, Castle) has now 'called-in' the decision, claiming there was a lack of pre-scrutiny, public consultation, legal advice or proper consultation with non-cabinet members of the council.
Councillor Clarke said the call-in, which has been backed by fellow opposition councillor, Lee Mason (Lab, Lumbertubs), was due to the "secretive" way he claimed the council was implementing the changes "through the back door".
He said: "Our leisure centres can provide economical and cheap access for people. If they are run by a trust, what controls can we put on prices or community access? Leisure centres should be a local government responsibility.
"It's also about protecting local democracy. People need to know the councillors they vote for can affect change and are not just there to oversee contracts."
But the leader of the authority, Councillor Brian Hoare, (Lib Dem, Abington), said the councillors who had called-in the decision were simply "scaremongering".
Councillor Hoare argued the town had expanded considerably in the last 25 years and needed more facilities which would require outside funding to be built.
He said: "The councillors who have called in this decision are scaremongering and misleading the public that the borough council can continue to provide the leisure facilities that an expanding town like ours needs".
The council leader added work to look at the establishment of a leisure trust was likely to take over a year to complete and the public would be involved in deciding what sort of trust would be best for Northampton.
The call-in will be discussed at a meeting at the Guildhall on Thursday.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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