Council will release financial report after concerns over costly leisure centre near Worksop

Elmton-with-Creswell Parish Council has been reportedly running the Creswell Heritage and Wellbeing Centre scheme, on Colliery Road, at a growing loss after it borrowed £2m from the Public Loans Board to complete the centre scheme and Bolsover District Council’s development company Dragonfly had to finish the project.

The on-going cost of the centre which originally opened in April, 2023, after a difficult economic climate, raised public concern especially after the council was forced to increase its council tax precept for the 2024/25 financial year by 93.2per cent to help with the centre’s running and equipment costs, wages and bills.

Parish council chairperson, Coun Amanda Davis, said: “Transparency is at the heart of everything we do. While the report will be shared in due course, it was critical for councillors to first understand the details, implications, and challenges it presents.

“We are fully committed to ensuring our community remains informed and involved as we move forward.”

Creswell and Elmton Residents Action Group complained that residents have been subjected to an ‘extremely frustrating’ time during a long wait for a financial update after the parish council held a confidential Extraordinary Meeting about its finances on December 12 behind closed doors excluding the public and media.

The leisure centre was originally funded through a number of organisations including Bolsover District Council and Elmton-with-Creswell Parish Council and it finally opened after long delays caused by the pandemic, rising costs and the original developer falling into administration.

Elmton-with-Creswell Parish Council has been addressing how best to deal with the financial strain and it recently set up a Trustee Board to oversee the centre.

The parish council’s new clerk explained during a November meeting the council had a number of invoices that required payment and the vast majority of its debt related to one supplier with the main debt relating to 22 invoices with a total of £124,573.61 owed to Bolsover District Council.

Christine Hope, chairperson of Creswell and Elmton Residents Action Group, has argued the council’s published accounts have been incomplete for the public to consider and that her group’s questions to the council have remained unanswered from a second accounts scrutiny visit on September 9.

Ms Hope also claims a response to a Freedom of Information Request to the parish council for full details of correspondence regarding the borrowing, tendering and construction periods of the centre and financial information relating to the centre from October, 2020, to July, 2024, was delayed and incomplete.

However, the parish council revealed on December 19 that councillors considered an independent consultant’s report at the confidential meeting on December 12 into the council’s current financial position and governance arrangements and the same report also included an outline of key findings and areas requiring attention.

The council has stated that it recognises the importance of ensuring public confidence in its operations and decision-making processes, especially during challenging times, and the meeting marked an important step in the council’s ongoing efforts to uphold its commitment to accountability, transparency, and good governance.

It added that the report will be made available to the public once it has been thoroughly reviewed and any necessary actions have been identified.

The council stated that the Extraordinary Meeting was held behind closed doors to allow for ‘confidential and frank discussions’ so councillors could thoroughly explore the report’s findings, implications and potential solutions.

Coun Davis added: “We recognise the importance of public participation in our meetings and the desire for openness. However, the sensitive nature of the financial and governance issues outlined in the report necessitated a private discussion to ensure councillors could engage in an honest and detailed dialogue without external pressures.

“This approach was critical to gaining a full understanding of the gravity of the situation and planning the necessary actions responsibly.”

The council has stated it is developing an action plan that will focus on strengthening financial controls, enhancing governance practices, and ensuring the long-term stability and effectiveness of the parish council.

It added that the council will be arranging a public meeting in the near future to share key aspects of the report, to outline the proposed action plan, and to provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions and share views.

Elmton-with Creswell Parish Council also stated that it appreciates the community’s patience and understanding as it works through these ‘complex and pressing matters’ and it is confident that by addressing these challenges head-on it can strengthen its foundations and better serve the residents.

The original £3m project for the centre was funded through Bolsover District Council, Elmton-with-Creswell Parish Council, Derbyshire County Council, Viridor, and the Big Local and Bolsover Partnership.

Elmton-with Creswell Parish Council has also previously stated direction was sought from the Derbyshire Association of Local Councils and the National Association of Local Councils about what was to be discussed at the Extraordinary Meeting and this was also discussed with the monitoring officer at Bolsover District Council.