The future of a Leeds community facility at the centre of a pre-election political row has come back into the spotlight.
Leeds council is currently carrying out a consultation into the future of the West Park Centre in North West Leeds.
The centre is temporarily being used by the Northern Ballet while a new building in Leeds city centre is under construction, and is on Leeds council's strategic housing land availability assessment (SHLAA) list - which means a property developer could buy it. It's also used by a number of community organisations for a variety of activities.
The buildings could need repairs reaching a cost of £2 million, although that fugure has been disputed by supporters.
The facilities were at the heart of a political row ahead of the May local and national elections, with Labour calling for Leeds council to remove the centre from the list, but Conservatives and Liberal Democrats accused Labour of scaremongering and electioneering.
Review lasts until October
The review, which was announced earlier this year, is expected to last until October.
Linda Cullen, from Moor Grange Action Group, is a leading light in a bid to stop the West Park Centre - which campaigners say is used by about 2,000 people a week - being turned into a housing development.
Cullen said:
"We hope that the council will look favourably on keeping West Park Centre as a community facility and major arts centre and that it has a future."
A spokesman for Leeds council said:
"With the completion of the £11m Northern Ballet scheme, the West Park Centre will lose a key user and the council will therefore need to determine the future of the building. Consultation with its remaining users and community representatives will form an important part of the process."
At a North West (Inner) Area Committee meeting held on July 7, Kirkstall Labour councillor Bernard Atha said that the centre would be removed from the list 'in due course'.
What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.
