East Renfrewshire MP, Paul Masterton, and Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw, have released the initial findings of their survey of local residents in the Broomburn and Shawwood area regarding the potential construction of a new leisure centre on local greenspace.
A recent East Renfrewshire Council meeting confirmed that Shawwood Park was the preferred site for a new leisure centre, with Broomburn Park second preference. Local residents were quick to voice their objections, however the SNP-Labour administration refused to back a Conservative motion which would have protected urban green space, such as Shawwood, Broomburn and Overlee Parks, from development.
Concerns had been raised about the council’s own consultation carried out earlier this year, so the MP and MSP took action to directly contact households around the two parks, many of whom had said they were unaware of the possible development, and so had not been given a proper opportunity to take part in the council consultation.
91.7% of those who completed the survey oppose building a new leisure centre at Broomburn Park, whilst 89.5% oppose building the new leisure centre at Shawwood Park.
The survey carried out by the MP and MSP confirmed that many local people did not engage with the council’s consultation because they simply didn’t know about it with a total of 442 constituents stating that they did not participate as they were not aware it was actually taking place.
In the same manner as the council survey, the Conservative politicians asked residents to rank in order of preference the four potential options for the future of leisure provision in Eastwood: (A) retain Eastwood Park; (B) Refurbish Eastwood Park; (C) New build facility at Eastwood Park; and (D) New build facility on a different site. The council survey produced results showing that 54% of those consulted selected option D, the building of a new build leisure centre on a different site within Eastwood as their first preference.
Mr Masterton and Mr Carlaw’s survey obtained a completely different response with 93% of residents choosing one of the three options to keep leisure centre provision at Eastwood Park as their first preference whilst less than 5% backed building a new leisure centre on a different site within Eastwood as their first preference, raising questions of legitimacy over the council run consultation.
Local Conservative politicians at all levels will continue to push the Council to rethink their plans, with their preference to see a new leisure facility built on the existing Eastwood Park site.
Paul Masterton, MP for East Renfrewshire, commented:
“Residents are completely clear that these well used and loved community parks should not be lost to development. A new leisure facility would be very welcome, but it should be on the existing site, not achieved by concreting over what little urban greenspace is left. Jackson Carlaw and I will continue to stand with residents and their Save Shawwood campaign. It is time the Council put residents first. “
Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw added:
“Over 91.7% of respondents rejected the building of a new leisure centre at Broomburn Park, whilst 89.5% rejected the same proposal at Shawwood Park. Our survey found very little support for the building of a new leisure centre on a different site within Eastwood, in stark contrast to the consultation results reported by the council. We also discovered that many people were not aware the online consultation had even taken place and so we were not given a proper opportunity by the local authority to have their voices heard. This gives us even greater reason to doubt the legitimacy of the council’s own consultation into the future of leisure provision in Eastwood.’
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Submissions
- In total, 3400 (approx.) households had surveys distributed to them on Friday 2nd November, with 887 responses being returned via post to Holyrood (or Spiersbridge) as of Friday 23rd November 2018.
- This gives a turnout of 26.1% (approx.).
Questions & Answers
Q1: Were you aware of East Renfrewshire Council’s recent online public consultation exercise on future options for leisure centre provision in Eastwood?
YES: 363 (40.93%)
NO: 519 (58.51%)
DID NOT RESPOND: 5 (0.56%)
Q2a: Did you participate in East Renfrewshire Council’s recent online leisure facility consultation exercise?
YES: 246 (27.74%)
NO: 633 (71.36%)
DID NOT RESPOND: 8 (0.90%)
Q2b: If you did not participate, can you tell Paul and Jackson why?
- A variety of qualitative comments on why constituents were either unable to participate or chose not to participate.
- Some common responses included:
- Unaware of the consultation: 442
- Missed deadline: 3
- No access to the Internet: 47
- Lack of information: 1
- ‘Busy’: 6
- Work Commitments: 2
- Refused to partake in protest: 2
- Forgot: 4
- “Poor” IT skills: 3
- On holiday/work abroad: 6
- In hospital/health problems: 8
- “Focus on Brexit!”: 1
- Etc... ____
525
- A further 117 people, either aware or unaware of the Council’s consultation, neglected to give a reason for their non-participation.
Q3: East Renfrewshire Council have outlined four possible options for future leisure provision in Eastwood. Please rank the options below 1-4 in order of preference:
- Retain existing Eastwood Park Leisure Centre with only essential maintenance taking place.
- Refurbish existing Eastwood Park Leisure Centre.
- New build Leisure Facility on current Eastwood Park site.
- New build Leisure Facility on a different site.
(1st preferences)
RETAIN: 122 (13.75%)
REFURBISH: 328 (36.97%)
NEW BUILD EASTWOOD PARK: 377 (42.50%)
NEW BUILD ELSEWHERE: 37 (4.17%)
No Preference Indicated: 23 (2.59%)
Q4: Broomburn Park and Shawwood Park have been listed as possible options for a new build leisure centre. Do you oppose or support the building of a new leisure complex at…
- 1. Broomburn Park
SUPPORT: 34 (3.83%)
OPPOSE: 814 (91.77%)
DON’T KNOW: 25 (2.82%)
DID NOT RESPOND: 14 (1.58%)
- 2. Shawwood Park.
SUPPORT: 38 (4.28%)
OPPOSE: 794 (89.52%)
DON’T KNOW: 41 (4.62%)
DID NOT RESPOND: 14 (1.58%)
Q5: If Paul and Jackson were to host a Public Meeting regarding any proposal for the building of a new leisure centre at (a) Broomburn Park and (b) Shawwood Park, would you be likely to attend?
- 1. Broomburn Park.
YES: 637 (71.82%)
NO: 193 (21.76%)
DID NOT RESPOND: 57 (6.43%)
- 2. Shawwood Park.
YES: 596 (67.19%)
NO: 219 (24.69%)
DID NOT RESPOND: 72 (8.12%)