Wiltshire Council has replied to criticism from the Westbury Leisure Alliance, over their handling of discussions about future changes to the town’s leisure facilities. Westbury Leisure Alliance, which was formed to negotiate the changes, had accused Wiltshire Council of ignoring communication from the group.
In an open letter to Wiltshire Council, Neil Hawker, chair of the WLA said that attempts of communication with the council had ‘fallen on deaf ears’ (White Horse News 17th March). He asked, “Can we please ask you and your fellow councillors and officers to communicate with us?”
But in a letter to the White Horse News, the leader of Wiltshire Council, Jane Scott, has hit back, saying, “In our correspondence with the Westbury Leisure Alliance we explained we would be happy to meet with them in the early part of 2011 to discuss how they could continue to have involvement. We have kept to that intention and have offered to meet with them. However I find it difficult to accept that the Alliance have expressed such strong views over an apparent lack of activity from the council when my officers have been developing exciting and innovative plans, with published detail and timescales.”
The group had criticised Wiltshire Council for not responding to communication from the WLA and have now been “irritated” by the response from the leader of Wiltshire Council.
And the group say that following their criticisms, they did receive a letter, dated 17th March, from Lucy Murray Brown, on behalf of Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council, and this accepted that the council had not been in contact to set up a meeting.
The letter says, “Firstly I would like to assure you and your colleagues from the Westbury Leisure Alliance that the Council values the effort you have made in the interests of your wider community and the local facilities. I am sorry that you are dissatisfied that we have yet to make contact regarding a meeting.”
The group say that at the end of last year Wiltshire Council said they would be happy to meet them ‘early in the New Year’ but by March had heard nothing. The offer to meet only came after a letter appeared in the last issue of White Horse News.
The WLA believe that Wiltshire Council’s ideas for the town’s leisure facilities have been changing, with new ideas replacing previous ones, but they have been discussed without any input from representatives from Westbury.
Wiltshire Council representatives say that information about the future of leisure facilities in the Westbury area will be part of a Westbury Area Board meeting, which will be held on Thursday 7th April at the Paragon. 7pm.
The WLA are urging Westbury people to go to the meeting so local voices are heard.
Jane Scott’s letter to
White Horse News
Leader of Wiltshire Council, Jane Scott, entered the debate with a letter sent directly to White Horse News on 25th March, in reply to the published open letter from Neil Hawker, (see her letter in full on page 19). In the letter, Jane Scott says that Neil Hawker’s letter included “some significant errors”.
She said that the council “has remained very clear about its intentions to develop alternative term management arrangements of the indoor leisure facilities in Westbury following the leisure review and subsequent extensive public consultation in 2010.”
She continues, “The council is prepared to continue engaging with the Westbury Leisure Alliance on the understanding that if working relationships are to remain productive then there is a need to remain professional and for our partners to continue to work with the Area Board.”
Neil Tribick, secretary of Westbury Leisure Alliance said that the group had always behaved in a professional manner. Now, he hopes that a belated offer from Wiltshire Council to meet representatives of the group before the public area board meeting, will go ahead.
Wiltshire Council says that at the public Westbury Area Board meeting, plans for the long term development of campuses will be explained.
