YEOVIL NEWS: Leisure complex bosses keen for council talks

BOSSES at AgustaWestland are keen to have urgent talks with local council authorities as quickly as possible about the planned closure of the Westland leisure complex facilities in Yeovil.

The long-established leisure facilities are set to close for good at the end of September this year – much to the dismay of local people who have attended various events and functions there down the years, plus the many groups and organisations who are based there.

Members of Yeovil Town Council agreed last night (Tuesday, May 26, 2015) that an urgent meeting was needed with the complex’s owners, AgustaWestland, to see if anything could be done to safeguard its future.

It was suggested by Cllr Tony Lock that the council was still waiting to hear back from the company as to when a meeting could be held.

But AgustaWestland have told the Yeovil Press this afternoon (Wednesday, May 27, 2015) that plans for a meeting were at an advanced stage.

“The situation is quite the opposite to what was said at the town council meeting,” said an AgustaWestland spokesman.

“It had already been agreed last Thursday (May 21, 2015) by AgustaWestland that it was happy to meet with both the district and town councils and that a convenient date was to be agreed.

“Since last Thursday we have been in contact with the councils to set the date and as of today we are awaiting confirmation from the councils.”

Clerk to Yeovil Town Council, Alan Tawse, said: “A couple of possible dates have been suggested by AgustaWestland and I have indicated the availability of our appointed representatives on these dates.

“SSDC are similarly liaising with their representatives and once their availability has been clarified, I would expect a final date to be set.”

AgustaWestland has also denied claims made by Cllr Lock last night that user-groups – known as sections - only found out about the planned closure when it was revealed by local media.

“I would like to point out that we sent letters first class to every section the day before the announcement of the closure so that they would be informed on the same day as the announcement,” said the AgustaWestland spokesman.

For those wanting more news from last night’s Yeovil Town Council meeting on this issue – please click on this link: http://www.yeovilpress.co.uk/blog/2015/05/27/yeovil-news-urgent-talks-needed-over-planned-westland-leisure-closure/ .

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