Progress at a leisure centre delayed for more than a year “absolutely isn’t good enough”, according to the Mayor of Liverpool.
Joanne Anderson told members of Liverpool Council’s Mayoral and Performance Select Committee that the “ball had been dropped” in getting work off the ground at the Lifestyles Peter Lloyd site in Tuebrook.
As revealed previously, the Bankfield Road site is now expected to open its doors to the public in September - a full year later than planned, as delays to repair works drag on.
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Deadlines for autumn and winter 2021 had initially been set for the reopening but both were missed due to a lack of contractor on the site.
Cllr Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, told members of his that select committee on Tuesday that discussions were ongoing with contractors to get work underway.
Mayor Anderson reflected on the lack of progress when she appeared before councillors on Wednesday evening.
She said: “It’s not good enough around Peter Lloyd, it absolutely isn’t good enough.
“The ball’s been dropped completely in getting that off the ground.”
More than £500,000 in local authority capital has already been invested into Peter Lloyd since it closed its doors.
Cllr Steve Radford, leader of the Liberal group, said he felt councillors had been given “misleading” information about the timetable of redevelopment at Peter Lloyd.
He said: "We feel aggrieved, not only has an area of capital resource been postponed for a year, but as ward members we were not told accurately."
Mayor Anderson said: “It’s unacceptable and we’re trying to find shorter term solutions to get people in to fix the building and upgrading the equipment because we recognise it’s just been too long.”
Other Lifestyles centres that were forced to close at the start of the pandemic, Everton Park and Park Road, were able to reopen to visitors in September 2021.
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