I have suggested to Dave that there is a Moderated group on Leisure. While my main beef is with Leisure Connection, they manage the two recreation facilities nearest to me, I am aware of a range of issues to do with both public and private leisure facilities.

Having set up "Leisure Connection Watch" at http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.burns/ with five years’ complaints logged l won't go into details here. I will say something about how leisure services have been weakened.

The wider background includes lack of investment by central government in Leisure Facilities, the under-funding of local authorities, and councils being forced to out-source services far too quickly. No one is likely to get good value from a private sector contract without proper preparation and specification.

Some local authorities have lacked the skills to write a good contact and others do not invest enough talent and or time into monitoring performance.

User issues in the leisure sector include membership arrangements, safety management, hygiene standards, lack of information, unannounced changes to classes, poor staff attitude, charges growing way ahead of inflation without any improvement in service, and inadequate security in buildings, surroundings and car parks.


Earlier this year I summarised the concerns about Lesiure Coonction that I had found in Audit Commission, Council and media reports in "The Leisure Connection Dossier". This is also availabe from the website, easily found by inserting "Leisure Connection Watch" into Google.

Leisure Connection also own the Harpers Fitness and Camp Energy brands.

My preferred exercise is swimming and I encourage people concerned about the reducing number of pools to check out the London Pools Campaign- www.londonpool[problem]paign.c om




Paul - user of Vale Farm Leisure Centre in Brent and Harrow Leisure Centre

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