Trespassers on the roof of the closed Oasis leisure centre has prompted a councillor to write to the administration, urging it to do all it can to prevent a possible tragedy.
The site of the closed centre has seen a number of people break in since the doors were locked in in late 2020, and the latest manifestation of what appears to be youngsters messing around on the roof of the swimming pool and sports hall has alarmed Conservative Councillor Daniel Adams.
Cllr Adams wrote personally to the Labour leader of the authority Councillor Jim Robbins, saying: “I feel the urgent need to raise the issue of trespassing on the Oasis site with you.
“I was outside the Oasis this afternoon when, by chance, I witnessed several teenagers climbing onto the roof of the Oasis main entrance and proceeding to run along it. I was forced to phone the police to get assistance to the site before someone was hurt.
“Thankfully, a security guard who was just starting his shift arrived and also noticed them, eventually managing to chase them off. After this, I took some time to talk to the security and the police, and it became apparent that incidents like this are far from rare, with there being a huge level of drug-taking and general antisocial behaviour taking place on the site.”
Cllr Adams went on to refer to the proposed sale of the building by the landowner Swindon Borough Council to the leaseholder Seven Capital.
He said: “With the Labour deal still not signed and any planning applications' approval still a considerable way off, I'm asking you what you are doing to make sure a tragedy does not occur on the site.
“I'm sure you will be quick to tell me that it's not the responsibility of Swindon Borough Council but that of Seven Capital, but this simply isn't the case, if only from a moral standpoint given SBC is the landowner of the site - for now anyway.
“The council and, by extension, yourself as leader, need to make a stand on this issue and show leadership to keep people safe.”
In his response, Cllr Robbins referred to previous answers by the Conservative administration where its leader David Renard would emphasise the responsibility for the site’s security lay with Seven Capital.
He said he would talk to senior management at the firm.
“As a council, we will do whatever is possible and within our remit to keep the site safe," he said.
“In the meantime, we encourage other young people not to follow suit and behave similarly as such reckless behaviour could put them in danger.”
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