Council to revisit closure of leisure centre

The closure of a leisure centre is to be revisited after campaigners presented a petition to Dorset Council.

QE Leisure Centre (QELC) in Wimborne closed to the public in April after the previous Conservative-led administration withdrew funding.

Campaigners presented a 7,000-signature petition and a list of public questions to Thursday's full council meeting.

Lib Dem council leader Nick Ireland told the meeting he was concerned about the closure of the centre and promised to commission a fresh report on the decision.

Since the closure of the centre, owner QE School Foundation Trust has allowed community groups to run public sessions, paying to hire the facilities.

At the meeting, three campaigners read out questions relating to health inequality, the impact on disabled users, and the environmental impact of residents travelling further to access facilities.

Hannah Small told councillors the closure had a "negative impact on the disabled population" who previously used exercise therapy and aqua therapy at the site.

"There is no replacement service of the same accessibility and quality within a reasonable and affordable distance of QELC, and no rural public transport links for those who cannot drive," she said.

Leisure councillor Jon Andrews responded, saying there were eight public leisure centres within 10 miles or a 20-minute drive.

After the presentation of the petition by Steve Parlour - which was followed by applause - councillors voted to refer the matter to the next cabinet meeting in September.

Mr Ireland said: "This won't be a rubber stamping exercise of the previous decision - we are a new administration.

"I'm a swimmer and the reduction of swimming facilities is of great concern to me.

"We will be asking the officers to produce a new report, not a rehash of the old one, so you have my word on that and we will look at it properly."

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