CAMPAIGNERS trying to save the Victoria Leisure Centre claim they have been misled by the city council.

The council said it would take £1.3m just to complete basic maintenance of the Sneinton swimming baths, and wants to build a new facility.

But the Save the Victoria Baths group say the existing building's 'condition survey' shows £1.3m would go much further than the council states, and that the baths could be totally refurbished for £2m.

The council used the condition survey to make its cost assessment.

Mat Anderson, the Save the Victoria Baths spokesman, said: "The condition survey was presented (by the council) as saying £1.3m was needed for basic and essential maintenance. But this is clearly not the case, it goes well beyond that.

"Our research shows the main push from the community is to keep the existing building but bring it up to a modern standard.

"The condition survey shows that this could be done within a £2m budget."

Any new facility would be built nearby as part of a major redevelopment of Sneinton Market.

Mr Anderson has accused the council of misleading the public, and said he wants to know why councillors did not look closely at the information they were being fed.

"Why does the council persist in the belief that the refurbishment of the leisure centre is too expensive and unpopular, when the financial facts say otherwise?" he said.

"In survey after survey, people say they want to keep the Victoria Leisure Centre."

The group is urging people in St Ann's and Sneinton to lobby council leader Jon Collins for answers.

Coun David Trimble, city council portfolio holder for communities, leisure and culture, said: "From the very beginning my view and vision has been that we try to provide a first-class facility. What is there at the moment, even with refurbishment, will not be good enough. I want a facility that will attract young people – that means a new facility."

The city council's Executive Board proposed in February to close the leisure centre.

At its March meeting it backed down and committed to refurbishing the facility or building a new one.

But Coun Trimble told the Evening Post: "As far as I am concerned the change of decision we made was to provide a new facility."

charles.walker@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk