I FEEL it is important to share some of the background information regarding the recent decision to replace Darwen Leisure Centre.

The swimming pool, now over 70 years old, is leaking and cracked. The roof leaks, the sports hall floor needs replacing and the centre cannot fully accommodate disabled customers. Doing nothing is not an option.

In 2005, independent consultants and structural engineers confirmed the best option was to replace the centre. They conducted extensive consultation seeking views from organisations and over 2,000 public comments.

The consultants asked people what they felt needed to be improved at the complex. The question about a split site wasn't raised at the time because we didn't have the cost or the answers to the possible locations available.

The message from the public was for a bigger pool and gym, more car parking and better changing facilities (385 respondents), far fewer asked for improvements to the sports hall (24 respondents).

To full replace all the facility would cost at least £14 million and restrict the space for car parking on the existing site.

The results of the study were considered and in February 2006, the council allocated £9 million to address the issue.

To meet the needs of the sports hall customers, the option of work in partnership with Blackburn Rovers and Darwen Vale was progressed and identified in all reports from 2005. In August 2006 we acquired a £600,000 grant and a £500,000 partnership funding to build a sports hall at Darwen Vale, due to open in November 2007.

The council does listen, but must work to set financial targets and make sure there are no unnecessary and significant increases in council tax bills.

It is always difficult to meet the needs of all customers working within a fixed budget, but it is true to say that the project at Darwen and at Darwen Vale School does represent a £10.5 million investment into high quality leisure facilities that will meet the health and fitness demands of many thousands of children and adults throughout the borough.

COUN JOHN MILBURN, Executive Member - Leisure and Culture.