Frimley Councillor's casting vote dooms Tomlinscote Sports Centre

11.09.26pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 21st May 2005

Ian Sams, Chairman of the Surrey Heath Council's Leisure & Environment Select Committee, used his casting vote on Tuesday to turn down calls by Lib Dem Councillors to allow the full Council to review the decision to close public access to the Tomlinscote Sports Centre. Cllr Sams is a Councillor for the ward that includes Tomlinscote!

Tomlinscote Sports Centre is in the grounds of Tomlinscote School

The Select Committee was considering a "Call-In" by Lib Dem Cllrs Cindy Ferguson and Angie Patterson of the decision by the Conservative Executive to terminate the arrangement with Tomlinscote School that currently allows its facilities to be used by local residents outside school hours. Although contractually obliged to give two years notice of such a decision, the Borough Council has given notice of withdrawal at the end of the summer term. In order to obtain the agreement of the Tomlinscote Governors to this early withdrawal, the Council has agreed to grant aid the refurbishment of the changing facilities and replacement of the main sports hall floor at the School. The Select Committee meeting was held in confidential session in order that the financial details should remain out of the public domain.

In a Press Release, Conservative Cllr Moira Gibson, Leader of the Executive, explained that the decision was for budgetary reasons, and that the Executive had decided to concentrate provision at the Arena Leisure Centre.

Tomlinscote Sports Centre is no longer to be available for Community Use

Various Lib Dem councillors spoke against the closure at the meeting, including Cllr Cindy Ferguson, who initiated the discussion with reasons why she believed the decision needed to be reconsidered. She referred to in particular to those who would have difficulty in getting there, the impact of an extra 8,000 visits per month on the Arena's facilities (and in particular the car parking) and the impact of this policy on several of the Council's main strategic aims, such as those to make a wider range of leisure facilities available to residents and to improve the health of residents.

At the end of the meeting, Cllr Bob Smith moved that the matter be referred to the full Council for review, as this was a decision of "particularly high local significance and public interest". The motion was rejected on the Chairman's casting vote.

Cllr Duncan Clark said: "Terminating the arrangement at Tomlinscote is budgeted to save only £33,000 in a full year, whilst estimates by users suggest that there are up to 80,000 visits a year to the Centre. This represents a subsidy of 40p per visit, and compares with the subsidy of over £5 per visit at The Camberley Theatre. I can't believe that other options to increase income or reduce costs elsewhere could not generate this amount".

The matter will now be considered again by the Executive at its meeting on 24th May. This session will also be held in confidential session.