Vale Farm customer claims he has found clumps of hair in the swimming pool and water temperatures fluctuate

A sports centre has come under fire amid claims facilities are substandard while requests to improve them are ignored by Brent Council.

It has been claimed that clumps of hair are regularly found in the swimming pool and water temperatures have often fluctuated below acceptable temperatures at Vale Farm Sports Centre in Watford Road, Sudbury.

Concerned resident Paul Burns, who regularly uses the centre, contacted the Times following a series of unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem.

He said: “Most weekend mornings I will find clumps of hair in the pool. Its disgusting. The council needs to sort it out because it has gone on long enough.”

In addition, Mr Burns, who organised a petition last year, claims customers are often not notified if facilities are out of action until an entrance fee has been paid, and that showers are often cold.

The centre is managed by leisure company Leisure Connection (LC), who over see facilities, however responsibility for raising concerns lays with the council.

A council spokesman said they were “disappointed” to hear some customers were unhappy.

He said: “It is our view that Leisure Connection is running the sports centre well. We recommend that customers with concerns speak to a member of the centre’s management team.”

But Mr Burns, who lives in Wembley, claims the authority renewed their contract with LC despite a 2006 despite opposition and that the problem has since increased.

He continued: “The centre has gone downhill, other people have noticed the problem as well and the issue just keeps running and running, something needs to be done.”

However, a spokesman for LC said the swimming pool had a ‘high standard’ filtration system to remove rubbish, facilities were cleaned daily and temperatures met industry standards.

He added: “If any of our services or facilities are out of use we always communicate it through customer notices at reception and around the building and repairs are carried out within 48 hours.”

To see Mr Burns’ website visit: http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.burns/