Council leader hits back

A council boss has hit back at claims the local authority is putting their £45m leisure centre project ahead of other crucial services.

South Ayrshire Council leader Peter Henderson was responding to criticism from South Scotland Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey who reckons the local authority has got its priorities wrong.

She urged the council to abandon its leisure centre plan for Ayr and divert funds to ‘crucial services.’

She said: “At a time when the council is spending money on a new leisure centre, instead of refurbishing our valued Citadel, it should first make sure to deliver crucial services.”

Councillor Henderson insisted the new leisure centre would give a boost to the town centre and added: “Conservative proposals regarding the Citadel Centre pays no attention to facts.

“The fact that no cognisance regarding making the building Carbon neutral (as will be the case with the new centre) is addressed, the fact that it (The Citadel) would be closed during the work with no alternative provision in Ayr, and the fact that since no public transport serves the Citadel Centre, despite many attempts to engage an operator for years.”