Confusion as trust transfer is put on hold

Workers at Littlehampton's swimming and sports centre and Windmill Entertainment Centre were among those affected by the 11th hour collapse of the deal between the district council and the Inspire Leisure trust.

The transfer of the staff and facilities was shelved on Friday, after employees had already been given their P45s, signalling the end of their service with Arun, in readiness for starting work with Inspire Leisure on Saturday.

Later on Friday, personal letters were delivered to all the leisure employees, informing them that they would remain with Arun for the time being, until the transfer went ahead. That is now intended to happen on January 1, 2006.

One angry member of the leisure staff told the Gazette: "The whole thing is a farce. There is an incredible sense of deflation. People were trying to be optimistic about the future and then this happens.

"We are going to be wearing Inspire Leisure's uniforms, but we are not going to be with the trust. The council and the trustees should be held to account over this."

Staff nevertheless put on a brave face when the celebrations to mark the launch of the trust still went ahead at the weekend. They included a visit to Littlehampton Swimming and Sports Centre by world swimming champion James Hickman, and the release of dozens of purple balloons with the Inspire Leisure logo.

However, like the trust, not all of them took off, some bobbing around on the ground, and a knot of others wrapping themselves round a lamp post.

Arun said on Monday that leisure services would be unaffected and would carry on operating as part of the council, who would continue with the programme of re-branding the service under the Inspire Leisure banner.

In a joint statement the chairman of Inspire Leisure, Mike Dickson, and leader of the council, Norman Dingemans, said: "The council and the trust are positively working towards the transfer, but we concluded that delaying the formal transfer date would not impact on staff or the provision of leisure services for Arun residents.

"We therefore considered it to be a sensible decision to allow ourselves the time needed to put the essential building blocks in place to ensure a sound foundation for the future success of the trust before a transfer formally occurs.

"The series of open days at Littlehampton Swimming and Sports Centre and at Arun Leisure Centre were not affected either and residents enjoyed the variety of free leisure 'taster' sessions available."

Yesterday (Wednesday) Mr Dingemans said the transfer had been postponed because of problems over the trust's revised business and service delivery plans and legal detail on leases and licences for properties.

Arun has so far approved 360,000 of start-up funding for the trust, but Mr Dingemans said there were still "value for money" reasons for setting it up.

He added that the explanation given to staff about the delay was more important than an apology.