An equality report by council officers found zero negative impacts in the controversial plans for a new Perth leisure centre at Thimblerow.
The findings of the in-house report are in contrast to deputations made by sports groups who have spoken of the detrimental affect the proposals will have on the elderly and sports players with disabilities.
The Equality and Fairness Impact Assessment (EIFA) is a legally required document to ensure that those with protected characteristics – such as older people and people with disabilities – are not discriminated against.
In Perth and Kinross Council’s report, the space dedicated for outlining possible negative impacts has been left blank.
The local authority say they will retrospectively engage with groups in the design stage to meet requirements.
However, that is after the decision to build the the new £74m complex at Thimblerow and turn Bell’s Sports Centre into an unheated events space has already been taken.
The document is also unsigned by either of the two required signatures, a service manager and a quality assured EIFA trained officer.
The local authority say this is an admin error.
A litany of questions on assessments
A number of questions have already been raised over assessments and consultations carried out by the local authority and LAL over Thimblerow and Bell’s Sports Centre.
An EIFA conducted by LAL last year found mostly negative outcomes for protected people in the closure of Bell’s, which was axed months later.
In that report, leisure bosses failed to conduct any of the required consultations and ignored advice from their own independent consultants to do so.
The Courier has revealed that there was no health and wellbeing impact assessments carried out by the local authority with regards to the new leisure complex, as admitted by chief executive Thomas Glen.
No economic impact assessment for the loss of Thimblerow car park has been conducted either.
One of the few public consultations held by council asked if Bell’s should be turned into an unheated venue, this has been heavily criticised as flawed and misleading.
What the council are saying
The local authority say the EIFA is reflective of the Thimblerow leisure centre report presented to councillors on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “We are now moving into the detailed design phase and, as noted in the EFIA, engagement with groups representing those with protected characteristics will be undertaken as part of this process to ensure the new facilities agreed by council are accessible and achieve their intended positive impacts.
“The council’s equalities team leader will also be part of the project design team and will liaise with local groups throughout.
“The uploaded EFIA was authorised before submission, but the version of the document showing authorisation was not the one uploaded.
“This was an oversight and is being corrected.”
Conversation