City council accuses GMB of ‘scaremongering’ over leisure

Dundee City Council has denied it is considering turning the organisation which runs swimming pools and museums into a private company.

GMB organiser Helen Meldrum said the union had attended talks where turning Leisure and Culture Dundee, which runs all leisure facilities on behalf of the council, into a private company was discussed.

Ms Meldrum said: “Making it a private entity would result in board members and senior managers having to be paid market rates meaning a hike in their salaries.

“Dundee City Council is saying it wants to improve the health of Dundonians, yet on the back of the drastic cuts to the budget it appears to be suggesting a way round this would be for a break away.

“This would result in closures to facilities and services for the city.”

A spokesman for Leisure and Culture Dundee denied such a move is on the cards and accused the GMB of “scaremongering”.

He said: “In the informal part of this meeting there was discussion about the actions that other trusts in Scotland have taken to move away from pay and comparability with local authority conditions of service.

“Leisure and Culture Dundee management is adamant that it has no intention of following this course of action in Dundee.

“Discussions with the trade unions continue and Leisure and Culture Dundee regrets that constructive dialogue is undermined by scaremongering and creating anxiety among staff.

Leisure and Culture Dundee needs to make millions of pounds worth of savings due to budget cuts.