East Dunbartonshire Council boss says Allander Leisure is safe - for now!
A COUNCIL boss this week insisted that Allander Leisure centre will remain open — until a new facility is in place.
East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) has come under heavy flak since agreeing to sign an agreement which includes a 10million financial contribution from the developers towards the building of a new sports centre to replace the Allander.
Land transfer agreements are still to be negotiated but the Kilmardinny/Westpark development go-ahead means the popular leisure centre will be demolished, as we reported in last week's issue.
Yet EDC's Derek Cunningham, director of development and infrastructure, claimed that is not the case with deals still to be concluded.
Despite this, in a letter to the Herald, he writes: "It remains the stated policy of this council that the present Allander Leisure centre will remain open until such times as a replacement centre is ready for operation."
Negotiations
He took exception to the Herald saying the Allander would be demolished, stating: "Any land transfer agreement, and therefore the future of any replacement leisure centre at the site, are still the subject of negotiations to be had with the developers and are by no means concluded."
Our assessment of the Allander's future came after the closed-door meeting which resulted in councillors voting 10-9 to sign an agreement.
In her statement, Council leader Rhondda Geekie said: "We have advised the Reporter that we are able to enter into a Section 75 Agreement with the developers to secure local benefits including a 10million contribution towards a replacement for the Allander Sports centre, a contribution to route corridor improvements and the provision of affordable housing."
LibDem Councillor Vaughan Moody also came under fire when his last-minute non-attendance allowed the vote to go through.
He said this was due to a family emergency and added this week, in a letter to the Herald: "There has been some suggestion that I had entered into some political deal with the administration. I can reassure the public that neither myself or any of the Liberal Democrat group, made any deals whatsoever with any political group before the meeting."
He also pledged the LibDem's support to keeping the Allander open until a replacement is built, adding: "The council is still committed to keeping the centre open until such time as a replacement centre is ready for operation."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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