Leisure centre move survey was ‘misleading’ says councillor

Creswell councillor Duncan McGregor raised concerns to the Guardian about the Bolsover Council questionnaire which was distributed to more than 35,000 homes in November 2014.

The results revealed 78.6 per cent of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed with the proposal to improve the facilities at Clowne Sports Centre and cease current pool operations at Creswell Leisure Centre.

But Coun McGregor said some of the questions in the survey - which had a response rate of 10.8 per cent and cost the council £16,511 - did not address all of the points.

“Some of the questions should have been made much, much clearer,” Coun McGregor said.

“I went through the questions one by one and some of them had nothing to do with the point in fact.”

“The consultation was misleading and inaccurate.”

“One of the questions mentioned that it was a 90-year-old building, which it is, but it is in good condition. It gave the wrong impression.”

Bolsover Council said the authority could not comment upon personal interpretation of the questions and disputed that the questions did not address the points clearly.

Creswell Leisure Centre needs in excess of £300,000 over the next five years to maintain its current operations, according to the council.

Coun McGregor added: “The £160,000 a year subsidence at Creswell is staffing costs so it would be the same at Clowne. It is not a saving.”

A spokesman for Bolsover Council said: “The net cost of running Creswell Leisure Centre is approx £160,000 per annum, This is the position taking into account all of the costs, of which staffing is just one element, and all of the income – leaving a net subsidy requirement of £160,000.”

“The proposed facilities, which will include the transfer of current staff from Creswell, is anticipated to save the council both the £160,000 per annum. along with an annual surplus that the new facility is anticipated to generate – saving the council millions.”