'Community centre' move is welcomed
Calls for Albion Leisure Centre to become a real community centre were applauded last week.
The suggestion by local user Richard Hallsworth was well received by the 70-strong crowd that attended a public meeting, called by Labour councillors, to discuss the future of the East Street centre, which Erewash Borough Council said will close at the end of the year.
They said facilities would move elsewhere and savings of hundreds of thousands of pounds could be expected.
But Mr Hallsworth said: "This place is not just a leisure centre, it's a social centre. We are not just fighting for gymnasts, we are fighting for everyone from four to 90.
"To me, this centre should be a people centre. Make it a community building, make it a people building."
Many of the vocal audience were members of clubs who attended classes at the East Street centre and were angry at what they believe is a lack of consultation with Erewash Borough Council, though some users are due to meet officers.
One man was afraid the closed centre would "go to rack and ruin," while another predicted vandalism and youths congregating outside would blight the area.
Shadow leisure spokesman, Cllr Louis Booth said his calculations had shown where cutbacks could be made and the centre saved.
He said spending less money on the warden service and cutting back the increased funding for Mayoral duties and the twinning association would go some way to saving enough money to fund the centre.
"Our expenses are higher than Broxtowe Borough Council. Bringing personal expenses in line will save tax payers 70,000. Add that up and it could save this centre, and those are just figures off the top of my head. There can never be too many centres, as long as it's providing what the community wants," added Cllr Booth.
He said the 22 year-old centre had not been promoted enough and events that were once held there had been moved elsewhere.
No officers or councillors from the Tory-led council were present, though a letter from the chief executive, Jeremy Jaroszek, said:
"The council has consulted and continues to consult with service users on how remaining users could be accommodated at other facilities."
It added the meeting was outside the process and lead members and officers' attendance would not add to it.
The Labour councillors intend to call an extraordinary meeting of the council and encouraged members of the public to put their questions to lead members and officers.
Cllr Booth said: "We want to put proposals on the table, how to save money for this authority without closing facilities. We want to be given, as citizens, as tax payers, the chance to have a say."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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