Published on 1 May 2008
Members of Loughton Swimmers are delighted after a last minute agreement guarantees their future at Loughton Leisure Centre. Council Deputy Chief Executive, Derek Macnab informed members of the club after securing new terms with Leisure Centre management company SLM Ltd.
Mr Macnab said: “I am delighted. There has been a great deal of negotiation with SLM but I am very pleased to say that with the huge level of public support for Loughton Swimmers, a mutually acceptable compromise has been reached. Under the new terms, Loughton Swimmers are guaranteed access to Loughton Leisure Centre Pool from 7.00pm to 8.30pm on Mondays. The deal also allows SLM to bring forward its adult public swim sessions from 9.00pm to 8.30pm. The Leisure Centre management is keen to develop public swimming as well as help young people and adults to participate in the Centre’s extensive lesson programme. The timetable changes agreed for Monday will facilitate this. I would like to congratulate everyone on reaching this compromise.”
Earlier, it had been feared that the time for a deal had passed and Mr Macnab had expressed deep disappointment. He was therefore very happy to retract his earlier statements. He said: “We thought we had been unable to secure Loughton Swimmers’ future despite everyone’s very best efforts. I am very grateful to SLM’s management team for proposing this solution.”
Mr Macnab added: “I would like to thank SLM. Overall, the transfer of management of our Leisure Centres to SLM has been a great success. It has been based on a true spirit of partnership. I think it is a measure of the regard for our partnership that we have been able to resolve this issue.”
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