© South Wales Evening Post - 12 September 2005
An investigation into the council leisure chief at the centre of the closure of Swansea Leisure Centre is costing taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds, it emerged today. The landmark building closed in November 2003 after it was suddenly discovered £14 million worth of repairs were needed.
And the Post can today reveal that an independent employment consultant, brought in to conduct a disciplinary investigation into David Evans and his role in the affair, is demanding £800 a day for her work.
So far the authority has forked out £33,600 - with no sign of an end to the probe.It comes on top of the £150,000 plus spent on a variety of bills since the leisure centre since closed paying for things like security and boarding up swimming pool windows.Mr Evans was in overall charge when the popular venue closed.
The report that shut it said it was in a hazardous condition, which was later blamed on a lack of maintenance. The independent investigator was appointed earlier this year. The Evening Post put in a request under the Freedom of Information Act to find out how much the council was spending on the consultant after it refused to reveal the exact amount.
Responding to the request today, a spokesman, said: "The independent investigator has been engaged to conduct an independent disciplinary investigation, the result of which will be the presentation of a report detailing such conclusions and recommendations as may arise from the investigation.
"This report is still in preparation, and we are therefore unable to advise when the engagement will finish.
"The agreed daily rate is £800, and so far 42 days have been spent on this investigation."
Mr Evans has been suspended on full pay since December while the investigation is carried out.
He was suspended after a council investigation found he was allegedly warned on a number of occasions of the need for increased investment in maintenance at the centre.
The exact cost of the investigation into the closure of the centre is not yet known, but since Mr Evans' suspension, a £25 million refurbishment has been announced and work is now underway.
Council leader Chris Holley said the investigation was eating up money which could be better spent on services.
He said: "The council members decided they wanted an investigation, so we are carrying one out. The people who do this work don't come cheap.
"It is another sum of money that could have gone to frontline services which is instead being used to clear up a mess caused by the previous administration.
"It is becoming the case that we are having to do this all the time.
"We have not got a bottomless pit, so when we are spending money like this we are having to cut back elsewhere. It sickens everybody that we are pumping all this money into an investigation like this purely and simply because of the legacy left by the previous administration."
