PH20 Thimblerow plan approved without debate

PKC slammed for'cutting short democracy'at meeting

- KATHRYN ANDERSON

Perth and Kinross Council has voted to build Perth’s new leisure centre PH2O at Thimblerow as part of a £97m investment in Perth and Kinross leisure facilities.

Revised plans for PH2O now include flumes and a larger splashpad play area and for Capability Scotland to relocate its Upper Springland facilities to the Glover Street site.

At a meeting on Wednesday, June 18, councillors voted by 24 votes to 15 in favour of the proposals tabled before them.

The £97m investment also includes plans to upgrade the leisure facilities in Kinross and Crieff and develop Perth's Bell's Sports Centre as an unheated, covered sports pitch/events space.

The meeting received criticism from members of the public and several councillors, who reacted angrily after members were asked to vote on the future of Perth and Kinross leisure facilities without debate, which has been branded “cutting short democracy”.

Councillors had already had the chance to question several protestors - who made passionate deputations against the Thimblerow proposal and for Bell's Sports Centre to be reinstated as a heated multi-use sports venue - and council officers.

But councillors were not able to share their own views or comment on what they had heard due to council leader Grant Laig tabling a motion to “move straight to the vote with no further debate”.

He cited the council's standing order 17.1, a procedural motion which - amongst other things - can be used to propose “no further discussion or questioning take place”.

His motion was seconded by deputy leader Eric Drysdale and supported by the majority of councillors who voted by 23 votes to 15 to move straight to the vote on leisure facilities.

Moving the plans for approval Perth and Kinross Council leader Grant Laing said: "The proposals before us are not just about a new swimming pool or a single site.