FUTURE repair costs for Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre requested by the County Times have now appeared on Horsham District Council’s website, despite the fact that we have still not been directly been informed.
And the amount of repair work needed is said to be £875,000 in total, way short of the £1.5 million quoted by former council leader Robert Nye, even including minor items like cleaning, carpets and external paths.
Your local newspaper asked on December 14: “What are the conclusions and recommendations for action of a condition survey carried out on behalf of Horsham District Council - as mentioned in the council’s report ‘Leisure Futures - An Assessment of Horsham’s Needs 2011’ - on Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre, The Pavilions in the Park, Steyning Leisure Centre and Billingshurst Leisure Centre?”
The response was: “It is our intention to have the information delivered to you by 15 January 2012.”
But when Rudgwick resident Paul Kornycky asked for the condition survey on Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre he was told: “The Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre condition survey has already been published on the council’s disclosure log in response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Act” and was given a link to the document, which appears to have been added to the site on December 29.
The figures reveal a £175,000 bill to repair the roof, instead of the £330,000 quoted by Mr Nye.
There are costings of £220,000 in respect of almost 550 items of internal cleaning and/or redecoration with no one item over £1,500.
There is a £65,000 listed to bring the external elevations up to scratch, £160,000 for external paths, drives, landscape and Tarmac, £245,000 for internal renewal of carpets, vinyl, tiles, repairs and any cleaning item over £1,500 and £10,000 set aside for contingency.
A report to cabinet in July last year said condition surveys of the leisure centres were taking place and there would then be a period of scrutiny of the results to:
“i) check that DC Leisure have maintained the premises plant and equipment in accordance with their contractual responsibilities
ii) identify if the council has met its maintenance responsibilities
iii) ensure that there is a clear record of the condition of premises, plant and equipment prior to the re-letting of the contract.”