A leisure centre takeover dogged by controversy and accusations of mismanagement has been completed.

The handover of Arun District Council's leisure facilities which include a swimming pool, sports centres, a theatre and cinema complex and smaller facilities, has run anything but smoothly since it began in 2005.

The takeover has dragged on after being hit by squabbles among Inspire Leisure, the company which has now taken over the venues, and councillors over business plans.

During the process, councillor James Walsh called the takeover a "fiasco" and said taxpayers would be paying £350,000 extra because of the delays.

In October 2005 Mr Walsh accused his own council of mismanagement and said the process had been rushed through in order to meet deadlines, which in the end were pushed back until April 1, 2006. And in February it was revealed that cash savings - one of the major reasons the council has passed management over to the trust - would take longer to recoup than first thought.

But Arun District Council says it is now confident it has struck the right deal for taxpayers and is confident all of its former leisure centres will be well run and savings will be made.

A spokesman, announcing the final signing of documents to close the deal described the delays as allowing "extra rigour".

He said: "Although the transfer has taken longer than originally anticipated, both Arun District Council and Inspire Leisure feel that the extra rigour allowed by the extended timeframe has produced the soundest possible basis for a change of management."

Monday, April 3, 2006