Debate: Was the public ignored on Perth leisure decision?

A controversial proposal to build a £74m leisure centre at Thimblerow car park in Perth was approved last Wednesday.

The final plan will see the addition of a dedicated leisure pool at the new facility – a welcome inclusion – but the location still appears to be an issue for the public.

Councillors also agreed to turn Bell’s Sports Centre into a £10m unheated venue for artificial pitches, ignoring the calls of campaigners to restore it as a multi-use indoor complex.

Overall, the Thimblerow idea has gained little support from the outset, with multiple campaigns and petitions against it.

Council officers themselves appeared to admit, through their silence, that they had struggled to find a single person or sports team in favour of the plan.

Questions remain over reports and consultations and the vote in chamber was slammed as “an affront to democracy” by the opposition.

As the dust settles, we’re asking our readers if they believe the Perth and Kinross public was ignored when it came to the decision-making on this multi-million-pound project for the city.

And if that is the case, what should happen when a local authority fails to listen to their residents’ views on an important development of this scale?

Let us know your thoughts in our comments section