Concerned at opening changes

When visiting St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre last Friday I was given a copy of the new opening times for the centre and a ‘Programme Review Survey’. I was informed by members of staff that the centres would be closing two and half hours early on a Saturday and Sunday. They apparently had not been told of the changes until the new printed timetables and questionnaires had arrived.

Last night I read the review survey and was disappointed by the wording of the questions (as a social researcher I do have lots of expertise in writing them). There is insufficient space on the survey to express dissatisfaction with the changes and also the actual implications of the cut in hours is not explained. Respondents only have a two week time period to complete the survey (usually you would expect at least four weeks) and it can’t be completed online. The new timetables which I was given have already been issued and there is nothing on them to say on them that they are proposed timing, and the consultative survey already refers to the ‘new timing’. So much for an open and transparent consultation about something which it appears has already been decided!

I’m a frequent user of the pools and gyms at most of the sites,and weekend evenings are usually the only times I regularly get to use the facilities. I visit and stay with my elderly father in Warwick most weekends and having the facilities available in the evenings is very important for me. Thanks to the excellent staff at the sites I have learnt to swim in the last three years (last month I completed a Swimathon at Abbey Fields and swam 2.5km) and also lost nearly five stone in weight.

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre is always busy on Saturday and Sunday nights, with the pool usually very busy until closing time at 8.30pm. The sports hall is usually packed either with roller disco and badminton matches. The all weather pitches are usually full on Sunday nights. Whilst I appreciate that the council needs to make savings it seems very short-sighted that they wish to close these facilities early at the weekend when they are so well used.

I am disappointed about the lack of real ‘consultation’ with users on these changes, and also that staff members have not been informed. Having the facilities available at the weekends is very important to me and so many other people.

John Galilee, Via email