'Flawed' consultation sparks fury among locals campaigning to save Auchinleck Leisure Centre
A new consultation is giving Auchinleck residents two options for the Leisure Centre, and both involve closing it down.
Last updated 11th Jan 2024
East Ayrshire Council has been slammed by furious locals in Auchinleck campaigning to save the local Leisure Centre with some saying they’re ‘disgusted’ by the way they’re handling its imminent closure.
Last year the local authority marked Auchinleck Leisure Centre for closure in November, but later postponed it until March 2024 after strong backlash from the local community.
The facility which has been in operation since 1970 is considered a vital lifeline service to many people who, without it, wouldn’t be able to access group activity or essential exercise anywhere else.
Locals joined to form the Auchinleck Leisure Centre Committee (ALCC) after the council’s initial decision to close the building was deemed unlawful due to no Equalities Impact Assessment or appropriate consultation at that time.
"The consultation is flawed"
Now they’re hosting in-person consultations over its closure, but some residents say they’re ‘disgusted’ with because of its limited options.
The consultation only provides two options for people have their say and both include the permanent closure.
Members of the Auchinleck Leisure Centre Committee are now urging everyone who is able, to attend the consultations and let their real opinion be known.
Chair of the ALCC Rona Hunter said: “We’re constantly told how mental health and physical wellbeing is crucial to people, yet we’re having that taken away from us without a say.
“I really think their handling up to now has been atrocious. The consultation is flawed because they’re only giving us two options: close or close. We need a third option that gives people a chance to save this place.”
Hundreds of people use the centre every week, including elderly and disabled people, nearly 200 members of Auchinleck Talbot, sub aqua clubs that have been around for more than 50 years and many other groups. Greatest Hits Radio is hearing from the people running these groups that most of them are at serious risk of disbanding if the centre closes.
Auchinleck Talbot given unsuitable alternatives
Robin Meikle is the development coach with Auchinleck Talbot who have around 10 teams with around 20 players in each.Auchinleck Talbot who have around 10 teams with around 20 players in each. He’s telling Greatest Hits Radio that the option to move to Merlin Park is not a viable one as it’s a notorious place for flooding, and while they’ve been promised other facilities will be built, he can’t get any confirmation of it.
He added that it’s not just young kids who stand to lose out on the game.
He said: “ A lot of these kids are local from Auchinleck and can walk up to their games or training. This is a very deprived area. If the football team is not based here in Auchinleck some of these kids could be lost to the game.
“But it’s not just kids. These elderly guys who come and watch the older teams, it might be the only time they get out the house and they see there pals and go watch the football together. It’s a community here.
“We need everybody to get behind our campaign.”
50 year old diving club at risk of disbanding
Alister Ferguson runs the sub aqua club who’ve operated for 50 years in Auchinleck and says there are very few places elsewhere suitable for them to relocate due to the 3m depth of the pool in Auchinleck.
He said: “If we can’t find a place, then we won’t exist it’s as simple as that. 50 years of this diving club gone. It makes me incredibly sad and I get quite emotional over it. I’ve had so much through this club, I’ve became a lifeguard and been able to dive in places all over the world thanks to this place.
It’s not just the risk of sporting group closures that have locals in Auchinleck furious over the closure. People with disabilities rely on the building to keep fit and the ALCC claim the alternative’s being proposed by the council aren’t suitable due to poor public transport and the lack of accessibility for people with a disability, elderly folk, or parents.
"Without access to swimming, I'll be back in a wheelchair"
Vice-chair of the ALCC Mark Carter said: “They (the council) aren’t looking at the bigger picture here. They’re not considering disable people, elderly people or even youth. They say you can just jump on a bus or drive, but for some people here that is just not feasible.
“I’m a prime example. I’ve managed to swim 3-4 times a week for 2 years. My core muscles have been strengthened just by swimming. Without that I’ll be back in a wheelchair and on heavy doses of opioids. I’m gutted and get so worked up about this.
“This consultation was brought about because they’ve not one proper ones in the past. This one is also not a proper one. There are only two options, and both are to close.”
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting what the council is doing."
Auchinleck has a rating which groups it with Scotland’s worst deprived areas. Many locals feel this is the final nail in the coffin for the area and people who have grown up in the area are not being treated fairly, while this closure would also have a devastating impact on children.
Parent of nine-year-old Walker McConnell, Catherine says he’ll be left with nothing during the winter if the centre is taken away.
She said: “The kids will lose out on seeing friends, I know my kid isn’t allowed out in the dark during winter, so this is his only chance to socialise after school during this time of year. But it’s also for adults too, this is just something else that will keep people isolated.
“It’s typical. There is very little in Auchinleck as it is. Always houses being built but no amenities to come with it. Everything seems to get taken away from the place and now this.
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting what the council is doing here. They are an embarrassment to their selves.”
Council response
Greatest Hits Radio contacted East Ayrshire Council for a response to the overwhelming feelings and response coming out of Auchinleck.
A spokesperson said: “This consultation was put in place following the first legal challenge to the previous decision taken by Cabinet in October 2023, based on our omission to carry out an Equalities Impact Assessment and further appropriate consultation at that time.
“We accepted the grounds of the original challenge, stepped back from that previous decision and launched a fresh consultation to give all interested parties an opportunity to respond online or to attend a number of in-person community events. This current consultation is running until Monday 22 January.
“The effect of our response is that the first Petition should not proceed further as the legal challenge has been accepted and acted upon. The second Petition seems to be identical to the first and would therefore seem to be unnecessary, given the action we have already taken in response to the first Petition.
“There is, therefore, no legal challenge to the current consultation and it remains our intention to conclude this and report to Cabinet on 7 February as originally planned. Any further legal challenge to this consultation or its outcome would be a separate matter.”