Leisure review ‘full of holes’

THE Labour party has been blasted in ldham Council for a leisure review the opposition claims is “full of holes.”

Lib-Dem leader Councillor Howard Sykes argued he suggested three valid sites in Shaw for the proposed new facilities — but insists they were never considered.

He told council leader Jim McMahon: “Only one site was considered in Shaw, which any fool would know was not suitable.”

Labour’s Councillor Hugh McDonald insisted that everything had been considered in a “comprehensive” consultation.

In answer to a public question, he said there had been 1,084 responses to the consultation — 778 from Shaw and Crompton residents, 19 from Royton.

Labour was accused of deciding on the location for the replacement Crompton pool in private and that the recent consultation was simply “window dressing.”

Another member of the public asked why, before the public consultation and responses were received, the leisure review leaflet announced that the new facility was to be in Royton.

But Councillor McDonald insisted six sites in Shaw and seven in Royton had been considered.

Councillor Mohammed Masud (Lib-Dem) added that the council had ignored 75 per cent of people who opposed the closure of Glodwick pool. Councillor McDonald said that pool would close because of the high cost of refurbishing it.