South Kesteven District Council votes not to refurbish The Deepings Leisure Centre and withdraws management of Linchfield Road playing fields

With police on standby outside and members of the public shouting in disgust, the fate of a neglected leisure centre was sealed.

The sorry saga of the Deepings Leisure Centre ended yesterday (Thursday) with refurbishment plans being ditched.

South Kesteven District Council had pledged to spend £10.7 million on the facility in Park Road Deeping St James, which is also used by the local secondary school.

But little more than a week later 27 councillors voted to close it, with just 13 voting to keep it open under the authority's control.

The Tory leadership said with 'deep regret' the council could no longer afford the refurbishment because of rising costs.

Since the centre closed with a leaking roof in July last year, the council has spent £46,000 on surveys and reports.

The poor state of the building has been put down to years of neglecting its upkeep.

In 2019 drawings for new leisure centres in the Deepings, Stamford and Grantham were drawn up, and a refurbishment was announced for the centre in Bourne - but these have all since been quietly dropped.

Council leader Kelham Cooke (Con - Casewick) said: "To the people of the Deepings, I am sorry the council has failed in its duty for decades of managing the facility.

"We have to be honest, and we have got significant financial issues."

He added: "I am not saying the Deepings will never have [a leisure centre] in the future, I'm saying it can't afford one now. I'm sorry we are in the position we are in."

Opposition leader Paul Wood (Ind - Viking) supported the closure, to the dismay of some of his fellow Independent councillors.

Coun Wood said: "It is important to have leisure centres and it would be nice if we could afford them all, but that's not the real world.

"I know some new leisure centres were promised, but things change."

Since the day the doors closed, Deepings residents have campaigned for the return of a leisure facility.

At yesterday's meeting they packed the public gallery and more than 100 followed the meeting online.

Councillors Phil Dilks, Ashley Baxter and Virginia Moran, who all represent Deepings wards, backed their campaign.

Coun Dilks (Alliance SK - Deeping St James) labelled the latest decision 'yet another disgraceful betrayal'.

Addressing the leadership, he said: "It is three-and-a-half years since residents put their trust in you.

"How many election promises on leisure have actually happened?

"The answer is not a single one. It is broken election promise after broken election promise."

Coun Virginia Moran (Alliance SK - Market and West Deeping) said residents were planning to take the council to court which was 'not something they ever wanted to do'.

A resident asked Coun Matthew Lee (Con - Stamford St Mary's), who was leader of the council when the new leisure centre plans were announced in 2019, why these promises were made.

But Coun Lee was late to the meeting because of a delayed train, and then refused to answer the question in the council chamber, instead retorting:

"If you're looking for someone to blame, look elsewhere."

He then shouted at councillors during a break in the meeting and did not return afterwards.

Coun Philip Knowles (Ind - Bourne East) said: "We have to put all of our political and personal differences aside. This is far more important than politics.

"The importance is that the people here are people from the Deepings who have lost their facility."

Defending the decision, Coun Gloria Johnson (Con - Stamford St George's) said there was not a single member who wasn't upset by it.

Coun Ashley Baxter (Alliance SK - Market and West Deeping) tried to introduce an amendment to the decision that would allow them to explore other options before ruling out a refurbishment. This was voted down.

As the meeting ended, angry residents told councillors they would "see them in court".

Council chairperson Helen Crawford (Con - Bourne West), banged a gavel over the shouting and ordered the residents to leave.

Click here to find out how your councillor voted.

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