THE LET of March 21 contained a report based on a conversation with Bill Stemp concerning the disturbing proposals for Darwen Leisure Centre.

I agree with Bill and would like to add to what he has revealed.

It is 10 years since I started using leisure centre facilities on a regular basis, after obtaining a prescription from my GP as part of a scheme to keep older people like myself fit and healthy and to stop us being a drain on the NHS.

I have used the sports hall as part of a heavily-used weekly session for mini tennis as well as using the gymnasium.

I know the sports hall has also been extensively used for a whole range of customers of all ages.

The people who use the sports hall are going to be deprived of facilities they now have.

Interestingly the Chancellor in his Budget was urging a widening of community leisure facilities.

In the autumn of 2005 a less than satisfactory consultation was carried out to sound opinions on the possible replacement or refurbishment of the centre.

It is disingenuous to suggest that it was a meaningful consultation as it did not include any mention of a rebuilding plan excluding a sports hall. In other words, a leisure centre providing half the facilities currently available.

Now the council claims no decision has been made on the sports hall, except it will not be affordable at the present site.

It mentions the possibility of building a new hall off-site at Darwen Vale High School.

Successful bidders for the tender for the new' and truncated leisure centre will be the architects that can bid for a contract of less than £9million, a figure which will preclude a pool and sports hall.

What will happen if no tender is received below that figure? I suppose the site could be used as a car park for the health centre.

Here are some simple questions for the council to answer: Where is it going to provide facilities for the people who currently use the leisure centre after they close it?

Why, apart from the fact that this involves Darwen, has such an inadequate plan been allowed to go ahead?

W J TAYLOR, Peregrine Drive, Darwen.