Good that Harrow Leisure Centre’s main pool, learner pool, sauna and steam facilities reopened to the public on Monday (16 September) after a six-month closure for urgent safety ceiling repairs.
The re-opening has “absolutely delighted” councillor Janet Mote, portfolio holder for community and culture.
The pool facilities underwent a routine inspection in March, where it was found that the ceiling fixings had been severely corroded, constituting a risk to the public.
But then, “this should have been picked up earlier”, points out the Labour opposition group on the council.
They also call on Harrow Council to “undertake an urgent review of their most profitable properties, as it was revealed at this month’s Cabinet meeting that the Council have been made to pay the private leisure operator of Harrow Leisure Centre £300,000 for loss of earnings following the temporary closure of the pool”.
The leader of the council, Cllr Paul Osborn was honest to admit that “a lot of our leisure facilities are coming to the end of their life, the leisure centre is now a very old building that is towards the end of its life – and there is no money set aside to fund the replacement of a leisure centre”.
After the cabinet meeting, the Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr David Perry, said: “Local Conservative Councillors should be embarrassed by the revelation that £300,000 of taxpayers’ money has been paid out to a private leisure operator for loss of income due to the Council failing in its duty to keep Harrow Leisure Centre operational”.
“Many residents use and enjoy the Leisure Centre, and it is extremely profitable for the Council; is it so much to ask that they ensure the proper maintenance of facilities?”
“It is totally unacceptable that local taxpayers should pick up the £300k bill for the oversights of the Conservative Councillors running the Council” he added.
Nice for the Harrow council to have a priority to ‘put residents first’ but implicit within should be the care and respect for the residents’ money.
The re-opening has “absolutely delighted” councillor Janet Mote, portfolio holder for community and culture.
The pool facilities underwent a routine inspection in March, where it was found that the ceiling fixings had been severely corroded, constituting a risk to the public.
But then, “this should have been picked up earlier”, points out the Labour opposition group on the council.
They also call on Harrow Council to “undertake an urgent review of their most profitable properties, as it was revealed at this month’s Cabinet meeting that the Council have been made to pay the private leisure operator of Harrow Leisure Centre £300,000 for loss of earnings following the temporary closure of the pool”.
The leader of the council, Cllr Paul Osborn was honest to admit that “a lot of our leisure facilities are coming to the end of their life, the leisure centre is now a very old building that is towards the end of its life – and there is no money set aside to fund the replacement of a leisure centre”.
After the cabinet meeting, the Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr David Perry, said: “Local Conservative Councillors should be embarrassed by the revelation that £300,000 of taxpayers’ money has been paid out to a private leisure operator for loss of income due to the Council failing in its duty to keep Harrow Leisure Centre operational”.
“Many residents use and enjoy the Leisure Centre, and it is extremely profitable for the Council; is it so much to ask that they ensure the proper maintenance of facilities?”
“It is totally unacceptable that local taxpayers should pick up the £300k bill for the oversights of the Conservative Councillors running the Council” he added.
Nice for the Harrow council to have a priority to ‘put residents first’ but implicit within should be the care and respect for the residents’ money.
Harrow Monitoring Group 
No doubt Harrow Residents will now be subjected to the sight of wild , frenzied & enthusiastic Breast Stroke performances staged by the Councillors in the Pool having spent yet another £300K of Taxpayers Money without batting an eyelid ! Do they really care? Disturbing.
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