Campaigners accuse council of running 'misleading' consultation on Bell's Sports Centre in Perth
Campaigners have accused Perth and Kinross Council of running a 'misleading' consultation over the future of Bell's Sports Centre in Perth.
The local authority's survey asked the public if they would like to see the facility reopened as an unheated events space with 3G sports pitches.
However, Perth and Kinross Community Sports Network (PKCSN) argue the wording of the consultation is inherently flawed as it provided no option for people to vote on the reopening of the facility as an indoor sports venue.
Instead, the public were simply asked to leave a comment with other ideas.
PKCSN believe respondents could have believed it was a choice between unheated or nothing.
With nearly 2,000 votes, the consultation results show a 60/40 split for people said 'Yes' to the unheated idea.
But a further breakdown of results obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request show that some of those who voted 'Yes' also commented that they would prefer a fully heated reinstated Bell's.
Bill Powrie, campaigner with PKCSN, has a petition to save Bell's which demands it is reopened as multi-use indoor sports venue.
It has already garnered over 3,700 signatures.
He believes this means that the vast majority of people who have responded to either the consultation or petition are in favour of reinstating the facility as a fully-heated indoor sports venue.
Bill told The Courier: 'The survey was misleading.
'If you combine the results of the survey and my petition then 78% are still in favour of indoor.'
A report written by council officers ahead of the consultation also appears to suggest the local authority only ever wanted to consider an unheated option.
An appendix to the report concludes: 'It is recommended that community engagement is undertaken on the future of Bell's through a survey and supporting communication campaign to encourage participation.
'Survey options to include:
'Do nothing beyond essential maintenance requirements which are the
responsibility of the owner of a Category B listed structure.
'Convert the dome to an unheated event space/ multi-use sports pitch
venue.
'Invite community suggestions for other unheated use.'
Bill also slammed the estimated cost of the unheated option of £5m to £6m which is contained in the same report.
Bill said: 'I don't believe that £5m to £6m represents good value for money for a few artificial football pitches.'
The future of Bell's is set to go before councillors again next month.
A council spokesperson said: 'Almost 2,000 people responded to the consultation on the future of Bell's Sports Centre.
'A summary of responses has been provided to councillors and will be used to inform our proposals for the sports centre when they are presented to council in June.
'Question five of the survey asked respondents if they agreed with the proposal to turn Bell's (into) an unheated sports centre.
'Question six asked those who disagreed with the proposal what uses they proposed instead.'
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