MAGNUM REPLACEMENT TO BE DELAYED?

John Martin Fulton • Published 17 Nov 2009 16:30

WORK on a replacement for the Magnum is set to be delayed as the council juggles its spending over the next three years.

The council are looking to cut their three-year capital programmes budget by over £12m - most of which will be saved through the delay of the new leisure centre.

Major spending on the new centre - to be sited next to Ayrshire Central Hospital - was due to start in 2011/12.

But the £13 million budget for the project has been put on hold as North Ayrshire Council looks to balance its books.

Councillors on the Executive will this week decide whether to accept the revised budget, which would see just £200,000 of the £13m spent in 2011/12. £50,000 will be spent on the project this year.

Members will also be asked to give the go ahead to a further review of the council's capital programme as NAC looks to free up further funds to enable it to pay for its share of the new Garnock Academy.

Assistant chief executive (Finance) Alasdair Herbert said: "It is proposed that services carry out a robust review of all projects to determine which should continue to feature as part of the capital plan."

It is expected that over £5m of capital projects mooted by NAC for this year will then be moved into next year's budget.

The proposal would see the planned spending for 2011/12 drop by £12.976m - £12.8m of that attributable to the slippage of the Magnum replacement.

A decision was due to be made as we went to press.

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