READER LETTER: Leisure centre - Where's the support?

I am sure all the parents of young children learning to swim, who find the larger pools far too daunting, would also like to thank them as well, not to mention the local clubs which help promote fitness and wellbeing in the surrounding area.

Edgewood, along with a couple of other smaller leisure centres, I believe will no longer have funds given to them, as Ashfield want to build a new leisure centre, including swimming pool, in Kirkby in Ashfield.

It makes me wonder, where are Ashfield District Council offices to be found? How does it help these small communities? I know for a fact that the Edgewood swimming classes are very well attended.

I also realise that there is a two- year period before this finally happens, but as I know most people will be aware that leisure centres tend to work at a loss if they have swimming pools, who would want to take this on?

In this day and age when the government are warning of an obesity problem, the Ashfield area is considered “comparatively poor compared to the rest of the county” according to the local MP Mark Spencer who I have been in contact with.

He also says that Edgewood is amongst the cheapest of Ashfield’s centres in terms of running costs per visitor.

He also stressed his concerns about the lack of facilities once “thousands of new residents who will shortly be moving in at Rolls-Royce”.

I would like to thank, genuinely, Mark Spencer for trying his best, but as it is a Labour-run council, his hands have been somewhat tied.

I will also add that I have voted Labour most of my life, but I do know where my cross will be going next time we are asked to vote.

Mandy Whitehead

By email