CAMPAIGNERS are tonight celebrating following Pendle Council's U-turn on the creation of a soft play area at Pendle Leisure Centre, Colne. The proposals would have seen the current sports hall ripped out and replaced with a soft play area and small dance studio, losing the flexibility of a large, multi-use space. The proposals also required Pendle Borough Council to borrow £500,000 to fund the refurbishment for Pendle Leisure Trust.
Commenting on the U-turn Cllr Paul White, said, "Its clear from the public outcry that the proposal wasn't what the people of Pendle wanted and its right those concerns have been listened to."
Cllr Sarah Cockburn-Price, who campaigned against the proposals, explained: “I have been contacted by many residents upset about the loss of the town’s Sports Hall. I thank them for being part of the fight, despite it being apparently a “done deal”.
“At October’s Full Council, I requested to be involved in framing the questions of the Consultation. This was seemingly agreed, yet I was not involved, and, as feared, an overtly biased survey was produced, packed full of leading questions. It was a sham that reflected badly on the democratic process the Council should be seeking to uphold. I hope that Pendle Council will now take time to sensibly evaluate a range of options for the Leisure Centre and pick the package which both is the best fit for residents and generates an income.”