Dacorum Sports Strategy Consultation fails to launch

From tragic Sportspace decision to a comedy of errors at The Forum, with a botched Dacorum Sports Strategy "consultation" (by stealth).

First came the rushed sell-off of the money-spinning Leisure Management Contract, resulting in just two bidders and the tragic rejection of homegrown Sports Trust leadership in the borough. This was followed by chaos when attempting to fix the embarrassing problem of having made a strategic change without first thinking about strategy.

BUT WHY SIXTEEN DAYS ?

This was the period of consultation the Conservatives chose for the Sports Strategy for Dacorum - not two weeks or four weeks, but the odd number of 16 days - a random figure seemingly plucked out of the air. Yet a considerable number of concerned residents initially thought the consultation period was only four days from 1st to 4th May.

Certainly the 2500 residents that had signed up to the council's email group, and who expected to receive notification, were not let into the secret change of date. Neither were Councillors updated on the Cabinet Member's statement to Council Members made only the night before!

Those that contacted the council were assured that the consultation had been on the Dacorum website since 19th April; it was just they hadn't bothered to tell anyone...!!! The day before, at Council on 18th April, the consultation was said to be planned for May, as today's published minutes show.

IS IT A "CONSULTATION" IF YOU DON'T TELL ANYONE?

After Cllr. Adrian England and other residents led a storm of protest, the consultation period has now been extended, so NOW IS YOUR CHANCE, get those comments in - what do you want the council's sports strategy to concentrate on?

The new extended closing date after pressure from LibDems is 18th May.

Cllr England said:
"Why wasn't the consultation advertised on DBC Twitter and Facebook, daily, from 19th April, as many other more trivial topics routinely are, and has anyone seen this being advertised on Twitter or Facebook?"

The draft strategy PDF is here