The Liberal Democrats have ignited political unrest by proposing a vote of no confidence against the head of the City of Lincoln Council. They relay the sudden closure of leisure centres as a ‘scandal’ that left Active Nation members financially disadvantaged. The council maintains that legal requirements prohibited them from revealing sensitive financial information about the charity, which abruptly stopped trading even though a recovery proposal was in place.
A critical council meeting is scheduled for Monday, 12th May, to deliberate on the motion. If the motion were to pass, Labour’s Councillor Naomi Tweddle would stand to lose her leadership position, despite Labour’s substantial majority in the council.
The shutdown of Yarborough and Birchwood Leisure Centres on 2nd April stripped local citizens of vital community services, however, outdoor amenities have since been reopened. The council is actively in search of a new provider to oversee these facilities.
Opposition leader, Councillor Clare Smalley, condemns the council’s management as a ‘failure of leadership,’ urging Councillor Tweddle to step down or risk a vote against her position. Smalley underlines that a number of residents have suffered considerable financial losses without immediate compensation as the council declines to refund memberships.
In January, the council offered nearly £500,000 to sustain the charity, but this was turned down, resulting in the surprising halt of operations in April. City solicitor, Carolyn Wheater, stressed that while transparency is appreciated, legal confidentiality occasionally imposes limitations on disclosure of information.
Despite Labour occupying 23 out of 33 council seats, the success of the motion seems improbable if party solidarity remains robust. Active Nation has not yet publicly addressed customer losses following the shutdowns.
This article is based on original reporting from lincolnshirelive.co.uk, adapted for The Lincoln Post.
