Proposed cuts to staffing at West Dunbartonshire Leisure will have a “significant impact” on services, a whistleblower has warned.
However the trust, have said that any changes won’t limit sporting opportunities within the area.
Planned cuts to West Dunbartonshire Leisure would see 5.5 full time equivalent (FTE) staff cut, however a spokesperson told the Lennox that this is offset by current vacancies - reducing the impact to 2.6FTE staff.
A new ‘sport and activity team’ will be formed to take on the running of local projects, including the Loch Lomond 10k and sport holiday camps.
An employee, who asked to remain anonymous, contacted the Lennox and warned of the potential impact the cuts could have.
They said: “There will be a significant reduction in the number of staff employed to develop sport in West Dunbartonshire.
“The claim that everything will still be delivered by the new sport and physical activity team is ridiculous.
“How can five posts be deleted without having any impact on services for the community?
“Big events such as the 10K and school cross countries cannot be delivered without a decent sized team and the specific expertise and knowledge that these current individuals have.
“Under this current proposal there will be no future development of sport in the area. This will result in a reduction of funding and support from national governing bodies.
“The new structure is totally unachievable, and this means that there will be a significant reduction in the sports provision in West Dunbartonshire.”
They claim that sports facility development would suffer – with no-one to develop or support projects like Posties Park, Argyll Park Tennis Courts, Dumbarton Gymnastics Centre or the current proposal to create a mountain bike track and other cycling facilities in Balloch Park.
It was also claimed that club coach education, support for talented young sportspeople and sports club development and support would no longer be provided.
West Dunbartonshire Leisure meanwhile has disputed the impact the proposed cuts will have on some areas, saying that Run Loch Lomond, school cross-country events, holiday camps and youth diversionary programmes (such as Midnight League football) would continue to be delivered by the new sport and activity team. They added that the proposals remain subject to consultation, and that any staff members displaced will be offered redeployed elsewhere within the local authority.
A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust continued: “Following a review, a number of measures have been identified to improve efficiency and maximise resources while ensuring our service provision is protected.
“These proposed changes will not impact the wide range of opportunities available, and all current programmes would continue to be delivered through a newly created sport and physical activity team.
“This will include an Active Schools Coordinator in each of the area’s five school clusters; a swimming development officer to administer lesson programmes at each of three pools and continued coaching for approximately 2,500 children each week.
“We recognise that this period of consultation can be uncertain for employees and we will continue to consult with them and our trade unions.”
Unison has already called for the proposals to be scrapped, with a spokesman for the West Dunbartonshire branch saying: “Unison is opposed to all cuts in public services.
“The Scottish Government has singled out local government for cuts as the recent Audit Scotland report into local government finances showed.
“When Covid-19 funding is excluded, there has been a real terms underlying reduction of 4.2 percent in local government funding since 2013/14.
“This has an impact and we are seeing this in many places including, it appears, West Dunbartonshire Leisure.
“However, the SNP administration of West Dunbartonshire Council have just heralded a no cuts budget.
“They need to ensure that does what it says on the tin. Unison will be seeking further dialogue with the administration and the trust to see these proposed cuts reversed.”
