TALKING POLITICS: Answers needed over leisure centre closure

Mansfield Labour Leader Coun Martin Lee on why the sudden closure of Meden Sports Centre is a serious blow to the people of Warsop.
Martin LeeMartin Lee
Martin Lee

The sports centre is a popular and a well-used facility and vital to the health and well-being of the community. It will also disrupt the sporting activities of the pupils at Meden School. Warsop Labour Councillors have been fighting since 2005 along with the Save Our Swimming campaign group to keep the centre open. They successfully stopped the Mayor’s attempts to close the facility in 2010. There are some serious questions to be answered by the Mayor and his cabinet members, most importantly, why has the centre been so deprived of funding that fire safety concerns have resulted in its closure? For over two years I have been calling on the Mayor to use the £90,000,held by the Council as a sinking fund for repairs to the running track at the privately owned Berry Hill Park, on other sporting facilities throughout the District. Investment in the centre would have prevented this closure. The money is there; it needs to be spent now to get the centre back open.

Long term, Labour supports the building of a new centre to secure for Warsop people a top classsports venue of the sort enjoyed in other areas of Mansfield.

TO READ MORE ON THIS STORY CLICK HERE

Mansfield has a wealth of talented people who contribute so much to our communities. Too often these talents are often hidden so it’s always a great pleasure to come across the work of such people as Roy Bainton who is an accomplished author and poet. I’ve just read a collection of his poems titled Endurance and recommend you all get a copy. I have also just heard a haunting new record by local young singer/songwriter Ellie Keegan called “Watch The Poppies Grow”. This is a beautiful song written and performed by Ellie and released to mark 100 years since the passing of the first British soldier the First World War, John Parr. All profits raised will go to the Lee Bonsall Memorial Fund, the Royal British Legion and Warsop’s Real Poppy Campaign. A timely reminder that stereotyping a whole generation of young people as uncaring and disrespectful is very misplaced. You can buy it on iTunes or by logging onto Ellie’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/EllieKeegan Music or her Twitter page twitter.com/EllieeKeegan.

Two quick reminders of important events coming up. The group of mothers marching from Jarrow to the Houses of Parliament in protest against the government’s attacks on the NHS will pass through Mansfield on 27 August 2014, from approximately 4.30pm, travelling along Chesterfield Road for a rally in the Market Square at about 5.30pm. Please come out and support them and give them a huge Mansfield welcome.

Over the weekend of 6 and 7 September 2014 the Trustees of the Allotments for the Labouring Poor are sponsoring the second Mansfield Garden Festival to be held in the Market Square. There’ll be plenty to see and do for all ages with food and drink stalls, kids’ activities, street entertainers, horticultural and craft stalls and more. An event not to be missed.