Councillors have ordered leisure centres in Dunmow and Stansted to shape up or pay up.

Members of Uttlesford District Council's community and leisure committee have issued a warning to Leisure Connection, the company responsible for running the Great Dunmow Leisure Centre and the Mountfitchet Romeera Leisure Centre.

Feedback from a council survey highlighted problems including poor customer awareness, and hygiene, lack of staff knowledge, expensive membership, a shortage of courses and the need for repairs.

Failure to meet targets laid out by the council by January could result in financial penalties. However, since May Leisure Connection has employed contract cleaners and fixed the broken pool steps at Dunmow. A communication officer has been appointed with a schedule of training schemes to improve staff knowledge and increase course availability.

To improve customer awareness, posters will be put up in centres two weeks before each forum meeting. David Morson, chairman of the committee, said: "We want to work in partnership with Leisure Connection because it's the best way forward."

Published Friday September 10, 2004

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