More than 5,000 people have signed a petition to save the Howden Park Centre in Livingston from closure after a campaign group was set up less than 24 hours after the proposal was announced.
Councillors will debate the closure of the centre, along with the proposed shuttering of three other Xcite sites in Livingston, Armadale and Broxburn on Tuesday.
Craigshill Community Council launched an online petition within hours of the news of closures breaking.
READ MORE: West Lothian community councils push for more power over key decisions
Now, less than a month after a meeting which saw large protests against bus cutbacks, the council’s Executive will face the same outside the Civic Centre on Tuesday morning as the newly formed campaign group Hands off Howden Park gathers supporters to lobby the council to save the performance venue.
Regular users of the Livingston centre formed the group on Wednesday evening and said on social media: “we are hoping to catch many of them [councillors] on the way in, and peacefully demonstrate our disagreement with their proposals.”
The barrage of dismay and criticism which greeted the decision by West Lothian Leisure to close Howden Park and the other sites was summed up by one on social media who said: “It's ridiculous that you want to close the Centre. If Howden Park is closed then the closest facility like this will be Edinburgh.
"Our public facilities are being decimated.”
Howden Park Centre has become a cultural gathering place for everything from pantomime, music gigs, dance classes, writing groups, exercise classes, children’s shows, ballets, plays, musicals and comedy.
The cuts are being proposed due to the severe financial difficulties being faced by the council, and councillors vowed to push for any alternative to closure to protect services and staff.
Independent councillor for Armadale and Blackridge, Stuart Borrowman, said: “This is a real body blow for Armadale and Blackridge. I’ve been in to talk to the staff who - understandably - described their mood as ‘rubbish’.
“A number of people stopped me in the street to share their astonishment and I’ve had a large number of people contact me to discuss what might be done.
“This’ll be a real test for the Labour administration to demonstrate that it has a sense of geographical fairness.
“This facility has served the area for two generations and it would be disappointing if it was allowed to go on the watch of this generation of politicians.”
Leader of West Lothian Council, Labour’s Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “West Lothian Leisure's proposals were received by the council this morning. We are totally committed to providing the best services to our community.
“This news will come as a huge blow to many members of staff and customers. These are changes that nobody wants to see within our communities.
“It is a stark reminder that a lack of funding of £150 million over the last fifteen years from the Scottish Government has required us to strip the flesh from the bone. Scottish Government cuts are now playing a more devastating part in the downgrading of local services in West Lothian.
“The Government cannot seriously expect the same level of local services to continue without providing us with adequate levels of funding. For years councils have been forced to make cuts and changes in order that we balance our budget – something we are legally required to do - but the stark reality is that we are not receiving enough funding and really difficult decisions are being forced upon us.
“Services cannot run without the proper funding. So, rhetoric and political posturing by other elected representatives isn’t much help when services are having to be cut now.
"I have repeatedly called upon the Scottish Government to provide the council with additional funding, and I’d repeat that call again today. The Scottish Government and local elected members at national level, with influence, need to stand up for West Lothian and help ensure we receive the funding required to protect local services.
"It is very disappointing that SNP councillors have not taken up their allocated places on the Board of West Lothian Leisure to give it the necessary broad community support."
Broxburn’s Conservative councillor Angela Doran-Timson called on the Scottish Government to release the money held in Holyrood coffers to ease the burden on communities.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The proposal to close Broxburn swimming pool by West Lothian Leisure is devastating for the community of Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh.
“I fully understand West Lothian Leisure need to make cuts due to the awful way in which the SNP government have treated local government and services, but West Lothian Leisure need to look at how else savings can be made or income generated. I will stand up for my community and resist any closure of Broxburn swimming pool.
“My community deserves better and should not lose out just because the SNP government are incompetent. The SNP Scottish government underspent by £2bn last year, they should release some of the funding to keep vital services open.
Conservative Group leader Damian Doran-Timson, whose councillors share a loose confidence and supply agreement with Labour, said most in West Lothian would know where the blame would lie for the funding crisis facing the council and West Lothian Leisure.
He said: “It is distressing to see communities impacted by the proposed closures by West Lothian Leisure.
“I am concerned that not all the options have been considered and will be pressing to see what else West Lothian Leisure can do to make the required savings.
“Everyone should understand any cuts by West Lothian Leisure and by West Lothian Council are the fault of the SNP Scottish Government who have chronically underfunded Councils now for years.
“Peoples’ anger and frustration should be directed to where the blame lies".
In the SNP there is no doubt where the blame lies for the crisis.
The party said last night: “West Lothian Leisure have now, due to inaction and apparent indifference from West Lothian Council reached a crisis point, leading to the devastating news on Wednesday that four facilities in West Lothian may have to close ."
Councillor Janet Campbell, the SNP group Leader said: “These facilities can be saved – but it will take all of us working together to enable this.
"All of the pools being cited for possible closure are well used and are, in times when we should be doing our utmost to ensure communities have adequate resources to provide both leisure and health facilities West Lothian Council Administration have got to accept, they need to be part of the solution”.
Councillor Campbell continued: “The SNP group on West Lothian Council have already started working with our Parliamentary colleagues Hannah Bardell MP and Martyn Day MP and both of our MSP’s Fiona Hyslop and Angela Constance.
Councillor Maria MacAulay said: “Hannah Bardell MP has already started the process of setting up an emergency summit meeting with all parties impacted and with those who can offer support and assistance to find a solution to this situation – a situation which has been allowed to develop due to the inaction over many years of West Lothian Council”
Councillor Andrew Miller who was formerly on the Board of West Lothian Leisure also commented: “West Lothian Leisure are facing a significant budget shortfall as a direct consequence of West Lothian Council’s Labour / Tory administration’s budget decisions.
"Any decision to close facilities requires the approval of West Lothian Council – the SNP group will fight tooth and nail in order to preserve these vital facilities for our population”.
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