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MP urges action over centre health risk
AN MP has backed calls for an independent investigation into how a Yorkshire council allowed a sports centre to remain open after receiving a report highlighting a serious health risk posed by legionella bacteria found on the premises.
Calderdale Council moved to closed the sports centre at the former Ridings School, in Halifax, on Tuesday but is now facing questions over why it failed to act sooner.
A report to the authority's Cabinet on Monday, on the future use of the building, revealed legionalla found in cold water tanks at the sports centre was thought to be a "serious risk to public health".
The same report also revealed asbestos had been left in a potentially dangerous condition in the school building. The school closed last year but its sports centre had remained open to the public.
Halifax's Labour MP Linda Riordan said: "We don't know how long the council has had this report or how many people have been placed in danger by visiting the sports centre.
"If reports aren't being read it raises serious questions and I think the leader, Coun Stephen Baines, should consider his position."
Sue McMahon, the Calderdale branch secretary of the NUT said: "We are calling for an immediate, in-depth, independent investigation."
Coun Baines said the report containing the warning had been produced for the council's Economy and Environment Scrutiny Panel which was making recommendations to cabinet on the use of the Ridings site.
He said he has not read the appendix containing the health warnings but would have expected the council's scrutiny panel to have brought it to the Cabinet's attention.
"Had I known about the potential risk I would have closed the place straight away," he added.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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