Maldon 

From Newsquest 13.1.05    Reproduced in full   http://snipurl.com/hflq

 Lack of security warning at centre

Security is so lax at a leisure centre, a child could be taken, claimed a customer. Jim Wilson, of Church Road, Wickham Bishops, made the claim after his car was stolen. He said there should be a CCTV system at Blackwater Leisure Centre to prevent crime. 

He was at the leisure centre in Park Drive, Maldon, on Sunday when thieves broke into his locker and took his car keys. When he and his wife went outside, they were shocked to find their Lexus RX300 car had also gone. 

He said: "I think this opens up the issue that anyone could wander in and out of the centre without being seen. There is a more secure entry system now but if someone decides to take a child, will that stop them?" 

But Ray Stannard, crime reduction officer at Maldon police, said the presence of security cameras would still not guarantee criminals would be caught. 

A spokesman for Maldon District Council said: "Leisure Connection manage the building but we will raise the issue with them at a meeting next week to find out what they are planning to do." 

From  MINUTES of LEISURE CONNECTION LIAISON COMMITTEE (20 JULY 2004)

11.     VERBAL REPORT FROM MALDON DISTRICT COUNCIL

 Mrs Cybyk confirmed that a Category A Default Notice had been issued to

 Leisure Connection for a failure to open for the minimum hours stated in the contract

 for the Blackwater Leisure Centre during the recent half-term holiday. Miss Munford

 advised this had been due to staff shortages and it was agreed that Mrs Cybyk meet

 with Miss Munford to discuss staffing levels and how this may be resolved for the future.

 It was clarified that this was the first Default Notice served on the Company since the

 start of the leisure management contract and while it was appreciated that it was safer

 to keep the swimming pool closed if staff numbers were inadequate, it was the view of

 the Authorised Officer that the Company had failed to deliver the service required by the

Council and the Centre’s users. It was hoped that the underlying problem with staffing