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Reports on LC in Areas Other Than Brent As of September 2006 this page is not being updated. Most people will find what they want under a place name and the Leisure Connection Dossier (from home page) provides a more detailed summary of various types of issues.. Names below lead to a summary on this page. For full text click the link at top of the summary. Babergh Castle Morpeth Cheltenham Dartford Daventry Deeping Didcot Dorking Dunmow Dunstable Ealing Easington East Northant's Ely Flitwick Great Yarmouth Hackney Harpenden Harrow Holme Pierrepont Kerrier Lambeth Lewisham Maldon Milton Keynes Mole Valley Norwich North Kesteven Oadby Penwith St Albans Seaham South Kesteven South Norfolk Spalding St Albans Stansted Salisbury Swale Tunbridge Wells Uttlesford West Devon West Lindsey Wokingham Worcester Wycombe For Allerdale, Ards, Dartford, East Northamptonshire, Flintshire, Fowey, Kerrier, Rotherham, St Albans and Swale - see also Lost Contracts If LC has reliable internal reporting they will be the only ones to know how typical the items below are of their standards. No independent body is responsible nationally for capturing data about how firms like LC perform. There needs to be a means of systematically checking that municipal contractors with a major market share are delivering value for money. Many smaller local authorities and even some of the larger ones may be no match for a wily, major player. At the very least councils need a mechanism for sharing with each other the sort of information below. PB Babergh Babergh Details on LCW 1.9.03 Pool shut following excess chlorine irritating eyes. Council says, "Human element can be blamed for details which followed the breakdown of the dosing equipment and our concerns were conveyed to Leisure Connection in respect of lack of staff training, knowledge and initiative." Castle Morpeth Castle Morpeth Details on LCW 18.3.02 "Borough Council Leader Geoff Proudlock took managers of Leisure Connection to task over their commitment to public consultation and price setting." Cheltenham Cheltenham Details on LCW See also Lost Contracts. 1.4.03 LC "given its marching orders after a council report... It followed a council-commissioned survey which found 40 per cent of users thought the centre's cleanliness was poor or very poor. Many people complained there were too few staff... officers cited 32 instances since 1996 where Leisure Connection had failed to meet its contractual obligations." October 2002 Increased charges at short notice. October 2001 LC has received 32 warnings for poor cleanliness and 17 for other problems since it took control of the centre in 1996. Dartford Dartford Details on LCW 8 .7.04 What did LC do to invite this response from Dartford Council? Daventry Daventry Details on LCW 2004/2005 Reports of council inspections of Daventry Leisure Centre and customer complaints show that lack of cleaning and bad smells are recurring issues. See special FOI report page. 22.5.05 Dirty kitchen, inadequate level of hygiene awareness, hand not washed often enough and "totally unacceptable" waste storage. 20.8.03 “There was also an unexpected mid season closure because of operational problems with Leisure Connection; they will have to explain the reasons for this themselves but the Council has taken this up with them." 5.1.01 "I have never seen such disgusting conditions in a swimming pool changing area. The open drains are usually blocked with static dirty water, the floors are filthy and the pool has a tidemark of grime." 18.1.01 Chemical spillage at Daventry Leisure Centre Deeping Deeping Details on LCW 8.3.06 Major improvements are desperately needed... the pool has had to close in recent months due to youngsters fouling or vomiting in the water, vandalism and a lack of lifeguards... Other criticism centred around the standards of equipment on offer at the centre, particularly the gym, while the high cost of using certain facilities, such as tennis courses, also received negative comments... pool closed for five days due to a faulty boiler. 2002/2003 Complaint summary 25.8.05 Dunstable Leisure centre staff take scissors to the shorts of a young swimmer. Mother furious. 10.9.04 "...survey highlighted problems including poor customer awareness, and hygiene, lack of staff knowledge, expensive membership, a shortage of courses and the need for repairs." 13.5.04 "A
Dunmow councillor has hit out at apathetic sports centre staff... Letters and
phone calls were made asking for a decision to be made as a cut-off date would
be April 23/24 ... I very much regret that to date, nearly five weeks later,
there has still not been the courtesy of a response, which I find
unforgivable,” he said this week. Dunstable Dunstable Details on LCW May 2005? A customer writes of "erratic equipment, inadequate changing facilities, no lockers (which were inexplicably removed from the Health Suite) and a general lack of cleanliness..." 2004 - 2005 Reports obtained under Freedom of Information - overflowing or nearly full bins, no paper towels or no working hand dryer, no soap, toilet paper problems, child's playpen twice found in an unhygienic state and numerous other references in lack of cleaning.... see Ealing FOI for this item. 19.6.05 Acton pool closed after staff run out of chlorine Easington Easington Details on LCW 28.2.04 Footballers existing booking "overlooked". 24.5.03 New LC contract troubles swimmers. 10.8.06 Swimming Club still unhappy with changing room cleanliness and water clarity. 13.07.06 Council report identifies significantly higher complaints and weak operational management. 18.10.05 Protests lead to doubling of cleaning hours at Paradise Pool. Cambridge Evening News " inundated with reports from unhappy customers who claim the floors of the changing rooms are covered in urine and on occasion faeces, the water is too cold and the pool has scum around the edge." 11.10.05 Parents brand
refurbished Paradise Pool "disgusting." ... urine all over the floor in the changing rooms,
...scum in the corners of the pool... 6.9.05 "Mum slams pool over sessions for disabled" 30.9.03 Users claim Paradise swimming pool "cold and unhygienic"..."tiles above the waterline were covered in a layer of grime", changing area "filthy and poorly maintained". One person saw "faeces, tissues and plasters" in the pool. 7.9.04 Up to 40 staff to be made redundant due to repairs. Flitwick Flitwick Details on LCW 28.11.03 Sport England Benchmarking on LCW - Poor satisfaction with cleanliness. Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth Details on LCW 18.7.05 Fire at Marina centre believed to have started in sauna when wood cladding caught fire. 13.12.04 Council "... found that little maintenance had been carried out until recent months, and concluded that, in accordance with the terms of the contract, Leisure Connection should have undertaken most of the refurbishment in the last few years. 24.11.04 Excrement in pool on 3 occasions, filthy tiles, blocked drains,, dirty facilities, used sanitary towels and nappies left on the floor... 22.1.04 Council gives LC list of repairs and clean-ups following complaints. 5.3.03 LC criticised in a report."... the Council had to repeatedly get on to the Centre management to get anything done...Items such as equipment maintenance were said to be not being addressed properly, and preventative maintenance was non-existent. Hackney Hackney for Details on LCW and information on the Clissold debacle and link. 17.8.05 Tampon found in poll plus grime in changing rooms January 2005 Consultative meeting shows LC is still unpopular with Hackney residents. 9.12.04 Hackney Council not disclosing what payments are made to LC for Clissold 9.12.04 Britannia centre closed for over a week and the use not made of King's Hall 6.4.04 "... Kings Hall ...the water quality has really deteriorated over the past few weeks... The changing rooms were in the worst condition I have ever seen...FILTH!" 9.6.04 Hackney Council concerned with standards of cleaning by LC in the new Clissold Centre closed less than two years after opening. See also Legal Action for Sports Minister's letter on Clissold and Scrutiny Minutes from 24.6.04. These show how legal threats have upset the relationship between Hackney and LC. Harpenden Harpenden Details on LCW 9.2.04 Customer's letter to paper notes steady decline in the standards of health and hygiene, hot and clod drinks not working, locker problems, and showers not working. 19.8.04 "...nappy bins were filthy and the floor and benches were covered in urine... a number of changing cubicles had no locks on the doors and some had no doors at all. There was no paper in the toilets and two showers were not working..." plus lockers not working contribute to theft. 9.9.04 Car stolen using the keys taken from locker forced open. 16.3.04
Harpenden swimming pool "a rapid decline in condition that they attribute
to: November 2004 to July 2005 A letter sent to LC and the Council complains of hand driers and toilets still out of order and toilets dirty before the hirer of Byron Hall started to use the facilities. Also there were no sanitary bags and disposal facilities in any of the ladies toilets. 18.11.04 Pensioners' protests win concessions and LC loses customers. 30.9.04 The OFT finds he user contract at Harrow unfair and LC has agreed to rewrite to eliminate its excessive discretion in a number of areas. E.g. the old contract, "allowed the supplier to unfairly exclude its liability in negligence or where it failed to act with reasonable care and skill." LC will need to rewrite similar unfair contracts at other centres. 21.10.04 Pensioners pay over 50% more, plus freezing water and cold changing rooms. 1.7.04 In reaching agreement with LC for the management of Council’s Leisure Facilities the departure of LC's Managing Director contributed to "...delays at crucial times through the loss of important skills, knowledge and the reconsideration of decisions, and also the time taken by replacements to familiarise themselves with the agreement and objectives." December 2002 "Concern over the standard of cleanliness at Harrow leisure centre has been raised by the public and the Council monitoring team..." Audit Commission Holme Pierrepont Holme Pierrepont Details on LCW 1.4.05 Complaints about LC's response to repeated thefts. Kerrier Kerrier Details on LCW 27.5.04 Council orders pool closed after complaints from users " Lambeth Lambeth Details on LCW 27.9.05 Council report and customer letters on Streatham Leisure Centre - Poor hygiene, chilly water, 19 closures in six months, monitors picked up low level of chlorine, trip hazard... Leisure centre manager suspended. "The smell was horrendous, the bins were overflowing, the lockers, cubicles, toilets and showers were absolutely filthy..." This report on LCW March 2004 "It is evident that Leisure Connections have often failed to uphold their contract responsibilities... (sufficient staff to ensure facilities are open) ..the operator was again reminded of their responsibility to inform the council of any facility closures..." 29.1.04 Lambeth Council fines LC £500 for failure to open. April 2004 108 rectification notices issued in one month. 12.7.01 "...36 lockers in the men’s changing room, over half of which are not working." Lewisham Lewisham Details on LCW January 2006 Independent review into delays at Downham finds Brent scheme delayed contrary to assurances that LC/ Linteum had given. 25.5.05 Councillor "bitterly disappointed" with Private Finance Initiative contract delays. Now thinks pool will be nearly 3 years late in being delivered. Mayor admits the delays were caused by LC "making slow progress and that "LC has over-reached itself by bidding for another PFI project, instead of focusing on its commitments at Downham." 13.4.05 LC fails to meet final deadline for signing the Lewisham contract, which is now running more than a year behind schedule. 2.3.05 PFI contract delayed as LC busy closing another deal "Despite every effort having been made by officers"... 13.1.05 "Security is so lax at a leisure centre, a child could be taken..." 20.7. 04 Category A Default Notice issued for a failure to open for hours stated in the contract for Blackwater Leisure Centre during half-term holiday.
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Details on LCW
May 2005 Health & Safety report with 13 items including damaged tiles causing cuts, "build up of scale, algae, hair and other matter", "no routine inspection of the cables to the weight training equipment ", and 3 pieces of equipment found to be electrically faulty, linked to lack of routine maintenance and inspection.
25.4.05 Inspection report notes broken glass hazard and a fire escape "deemed to be filthy". Mole Valley / Dorking Mole Valley - Dorking Details on LCW 2004 - 2005 Various dates - Thick amount of hairs in the drain, drain grates looking black and dirty again... floors black,... smells... flies ..."I have found the original staffing structure that was agreed by us and it seems that the current structure is a lot slimmer...", unsafe pool lighting, unsupervised gym.. See FOI page for this item. 8.9.05 "Fitness fans work up a sweat as gym's air conditioning fails" yet again 10.02.05 Centre to be closed for "normal" repairs. 18.11.04
Staff complain that LC " cannot keep the staff on and the people who still work here are worn
out", that "gym supervision and lifeguards are being cut to a minimum and that the use of casual labour is leading to poor
cleanliness" and that the centre is "not really safe”. Users still
complaining about hygiene levels. 5.8.04 "Residents... concerned at the cleanliness of the centre, the state of the equipment, and cutbacks in classes..." June 2002 The Consumers' Association reported on pools across the UK. Three out of the 61 pools and spas were sampled were given the worst rating, "Potentially Serious Health Risk". The only swimming pool out of 40 surveyed given this rating was at the old Dorking Sports Centre. (Which? June 2002, pp8-11) 13.6.03 "...not the first time the pool has been criticised. Kate Ferris... complained to the district council about filthy facilities ... a month ... before the Which? findings were released." "The changing area in particular just stinks so much. I think even the public toilets in South Street are cleaner..." "... the changing rooms, toilets and footbath are often very dirty." 25.6.03 Leisure Connection had been aware that 'Which' had undertaken this survey and also knew the results. However, they had not informed the Council of this. The Director of Services was not aware of the survey until the day before it was published. The Committee expressed a number of concerns relating to standards at the swimming pool 14.10.03 ".. high number of complaints being received in connection with the Dorking Sports Centre.." 5.2.04 "Issues raised included the maintenance of the building, cleanliness of the site, the timetable for the swimming pool and the controversial cut in exercise classes." North Kesteven North Kesteven Details on LCW 6.6.05 Performance report lists complaints about failure to open, cleanliness, staff plus 23 Action Point Notices, 9 Direct Rectification Notices and 5 Defaults. 2.12.04 The District Council received a half yearly report from the contract officer for LC with numerous issues noted including underachievement, poor marketing, late opening of facilities, cancellation of courses, and cleanliness. 8 Direct Rectification notices and 3 contract Defaults are listed. Well done NKDC for managing the contract and publishing the details that you have! August 2004 Litter and poorly maintained grounds. Norwich Norwich Details on LCW 15.7.04 Mother told not to breastfeed by pool. 2003 Penwith Penwith Details on LCW September 05 council report - "If I can see dirt and dust, so can the customers, and so should the site staff. There is much needed improvement required ...” Saffron Walden Saffron Walden Details on LCW 6.9.04 Dissatisfied customers, concerns about cost and cleanliness 5.8.04 Staff reduced and classes cancelled without warning. 12.10.03 Complaints about increased charges, reduced concessions at new PFI leisure centre. Leisure Connection is a commercial operation and can set its own charges..." St Albans 1 St Albans Details on LCW 10.11.05 LC seeks £50k compensation for closure of Bricket Wood. Maintenance question asked by local councillor. July 2005 Audit Commission Inspection report finds low sport and leisure user satisfaction and poor performance management 23.5.05 Row over possible reappointment of LC. Conservative leader says: "St Albans is going to have the tackiest, worst facilities of anywhere around" following what is reported as " a storm of criticism from residents about existing sports and leisure services.... ranging from toilets and jacuzzis not working to long queues for showers alongside concerns about general cleanliness and lack of maintenance." 19.5.05 Complaints about 3 centres but especially Westminster Lodge. Toilets, jacuzzi not working, faulty showers, cleanliness, lack of maintenance... Councillor was surprised at how strongly people at the meeting felt about the facilities at Westminster Lodge. "The thing which came through was the filth down there." 21..4.05 Council and LC in Dispute over Leisure Millions following architects survey 3.3.05 Closure of swimming facility blamed on staff shortage 15.2.05 Council apologises after parent with two children turned away from swimming. 23.9.04 Councilor 19.3.03 Nursery fees up almost 50 per cent without warning. 9.7.04 Redundancies at closed pool. St Albans 2 Adventure World Details on LCW 1.3.03 OFSTED Inspection reports Childcare Centre "unsatisfactory care for children aged 0-5 years... Staff generally demonstrate a lack of understanding of children's development and are not meeting the children's individual needs effectively... Safety issues in the crèche area and outside garden have been identified. Hygiene throughout the building is poor and staff are failing to promote the health of the children and take positive steps to prevent the spread of infection..." Salisbury Salisbury Details on LCW See also Lost Contracts 7.11.02 New pool "shambles...dirty facilities and cold showers...Grubby floors left unwashed for hours, waste-water filters clogged with hair and paper..." 14.8.03 Pool closed over hot weekend due to equipment breakdown 10.9.03 Swimmers turned away yet again..."result of a timetable change which pool managers had neglected to tell users." 9.10.03 Popular swimming coach not allowed to rent pool after 25 years of service. 28.2.04 Junior soccer team's bookings "overlooked" to make way for disco South Kesteven South Kesteven Details on LCW 12.5.06 No cleaner for 3 months. centre fails last 4 inspections but still the best it ahs been for 19 months. February 05 In response to a request under Freedom of Information the District Council sent a performance report for 2003/2004 and updates to February 2005. One centre had 304 formal complaints in one year and the council issued 722 rectification notices over 26 months. Frequent complaints included cleaning, staff, catering, maintenance, fitness facilities, swimming and programmes. South Norfolk South Norfolk Details on LCW 14.10.05 Inspection using services of an independent, professional cleaner reveals disturbing hygiene issues including dirty children's playpens, deposits of body fat, mould, dirty toilets and bins not emptied. 12.10.05 Inspection with LC Contract manager notes showers still out of order, mould, body fat and gulleys in need of deep clean. June - July 2005 Mystery Shopper visit reports notes cleaning issues including body fat, mould, tacky tables in cafe and dirty lockers. Life guards were seen to fail help a woman who developed cramp. Spalding Spalding Details on LCW 13.3.06 After LC sought to increase user fees by up to a third the council Further review of the Leisure Connection proposals revealed that the charges were in excess of this agreement and therefore not consistent with the negotiated agreement." 10.03.05 "Abysmal" changing rooms - broken benches and deficient lockers. "... letters raising her concerns sent between March and June last year but she believes the problems haven't been dealt with." 10.03.05 Freezing showers, tiles falling off... "Despite numerous complaints nothing seems to change..." 30.11.04 Discussions over Football Club bill 22.8.03 Pool closed following broken light 22.8.01 Protest two months after start of LC contract as swimming price up 10.5% and off-peak badminton up 40%. Stansted Stansted Details on LCW 29.10.04 "Elsenham snubs new leisure centre" - "88.7 per cent of villagers were yet to pay a visit to the Forest Hall Road centre, which is now more than a year old." Swale Swale Details on LCW See also Lost Contracts. 16.4.04 Concerns
had been raised over the decreasing level of cleanliness and several areas of
minor maintenance which had not been completed, despite several requests from
Council Officers. Tunbridge Wells Tunbridge Wells Details on LCW Oct 2004 - Jan 2005 Sole lifeguard absent during swimming. Repeated failures to clean large areas over several days. Uttlesford Uttlesford Details on LCW 7.6.05 "Existing discounts were so mean as to be unattractive" says councillors. 2004/2005 Continuing concerns about cleaning 6.9.04 Disability Access Group disappointed at response from LC to report West Devon West Devon Details on LCW October 2005 Summary of issues in LC's first year managing two centres - understaffing, staff training, unsatisfactory pool maintenance, dirt, algae, high bacteria count, objects in pool, kitchen management... West Lindsey West Lindsey Details on LCW 11.05.06 Council serves notice following rat infestation 27.4.06 "The changing rooms are dirty, the main sports hall has a lighting problem, the roof leaks, the dance hall has no air conditioning and the gymnastics room has had a pit 'under repair' for six years." 15.11.05 Survey shows centres has 2nd lowest level of customer satisfaction in Lincolnshire - users wanted better fitness equipment, cleaning and a cleaner pool. 24.5.04 Swimmers petition to council says changing area is dirty, mouldy and neglected. Councillor deplores deteriorating condition. 8.7.04 Council report shows that LC's standards of cleaning has been a recurring issue and has led to default notices. Wokingham Details on LCW17.1.02 Skateboarders are being denied the use of a revamped skate facility because of red tape. Councillors frustrated and say park ready for use last October but LC is “dragging their feet”. 17.2.04 "The facilities at the pool have been far from satisfactory over recent weeks. In particular the pool temperature (Children have been in tears) and the level of cleanliness." Worcester Details on LCW9.1.04 “Issues involving communications, changing facilities, cleanliness, external access, lighting, signage and concessions were all voiced by regulars of the pool and I was able to answer most – if not quite all – of their questions." 11.10.02 "OAP'S SWIM PRICE FURY" - swimming pool prices by up to 50 per cent. Wycombe Wycombe Details on LCW Aug. 2003 Audit Commission finds poor conditions only at the LC operated centre and reports that customers were ignored. |
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