ABC head of Health & Recreation, Darryn Causby has pledged robust action after photographs were circulated on social media, pointing to the apparent state of uncleanliness of disabled changing facilities at Orchard Leisure Centre, Armagh, on one particular evening.
The matter was raised by Armagh DEA Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon at Monday night’s (June 24) full meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council.
The SDLP representative stated: “It’s in relation to cleanliness at Orchard Leisure Centre in Armagh, and a number of social media posts that were posted last Wednesday evening (June 19).
Related: ‘Disgusting’ disabled changing room at Orchard Leisure Centre Armagh only part of wider problem
“I and a number of others were tagged in a a social media post by a concerned parent about the state of the disabled changing facilities at the Orchard Leisure Centre.
“The picture showed a filthy facility, and whilst I appreciate that facility is very well used, there were obvious signs in the photographs that had been shared that there are issues about the lack of cleaning.
“Without getting into too much detail, the toilet brush holder obviously hadn’t been cleaned for a very long time, not to mention the area around the toilet bowls.
“The issue has highlighted further long-standing issues at the facility, and I welcome the fact that earlier tonight we’ve agreed interim investment in the facility, whilst we plan for the new Leisure Village or facility in Armagh City.
“However, can I ask what steps have taken place since last week, and what are we doing to ensure that the cleaning standards are swiftly improved at Orchard Leisure Centre (OLC) and indeed at some of our other leisure facilities?
“I appreciate the work and efforts that our own staff are [doing] in this regard. I appreciate that in some of the scenarios it isn’t actually our own staff that’s responsible for cleaning and maintenance across some of our sites.”
Lord Mayor, Cllr Sarah Duffy said she was aware of the issue: “This is something that many of us have had concerns about.”
Mr Causby – once an ABC councillor and former Lord Mayor – explained that he took the matter very seriously: “There are some of the details I can’t get into because of contractual obligations that we have, but you will note in the correspondence that I sent you on Wednesday [June] 19 that I set out a number of action points.
“Just to reiterate those from Wednesday of last week, the cleaning checklist would be re-instigated within the facility, there was to be replacement of the kick-boards, [there was] to be a look at installing a buggy park for family access to the main changing facilities down the stairs, there were issues around some of the higher-level cleaning that have been highlighted as well, and we were going to look at resourcing additional staff to help maintain the standard.
“We then followed that up on Thursday with a meeting with our duty managers across all of our facilities for what was already a pre-planned meeting, and we raised the standard of cleanliness across all of our facilities.
“Where standards fall below what is expected, we will call that out. That is clearly what was shown and evidenced on photographs. There was one or two suggestions that there was vomit in the facility – there was not.
“When the issue was raised on site the duty manager immediately dealt with the issue on the evening that it was raised.
“By way of explanation – not an excuse by any stretch – swimming lessons had literally just left the facility, it was a fairly busy session and I know there have been other issues raised.
“I was in the facility on Wednesday for the best part of the day, and spoke with the staff. It appears to be in our experience quite isolated.
“In the last 12 months there have been 236,000 people through that facility, which is a 37% increase on where it was the year before, so there’s a huge volume of people.
“There were 81 complaints at the facility, that is equivalent to 0.034% of those using the facility. Of those 81, 10 of those complaints were around the cleanliness of the facility at OLC, that is 12% of the 0.034%, so the instances of complaints around cleanliness, particularly in Orchard, are very low in number.
“In the last 12 months, there have been 2,022,000 visits to our indoor leisure facilities. The complaints rate has been 0.016% of those people attending, that is 340 complaints, and that is not just relating to cleanliness.
“We are aware that we do have issues around cleanliness at times. Orchard is an older facility that requires a bit of work and we are working to try and sort through some of those issues.
“We will hold our hands up and apologise where those issues are raised. What I will also say is that at that particular time our complaints procedure was not used.
“The group that raised the issue had previously met with our staff on two occasions. They were followed up with a pre-arranged meeting before the photographs were released last week.
“That meeting had already been scheduled out for this morning and I am briefed to say that it was a very positive and constructive meeting, and there is an agreed way forward both with the group, with some of the issues that they have raised, wider than the cleanliness of the facility.
“There is agreement that there would be another follow-up meeting with the group again in September. Staff are very aware of the standards that we expect and they are working hard to operate at that level.
“I appreciate the media around it was uncomfortable for council and for some of our staff, but what I will say is that we have measures in place that we hope will address this going forward.”
Cllr Julie Flaherty (UUP, Portadown) pointed out that the overall picture was one of much cleaner leisure facilities: “Thank you to the officers, particularly Mr Causby, for you swift answers. We’re all in agreement that it’s just not acceptable for anyone, and I think from my point of view I feel we have worked so hard.
“I’m in this chamber eight years and I see a huge improvement in the facilities that are available for children and older people.
“I talk an inordinate amount of time about disabled toilet access and inclusion, grants, we have really done so well and our officers have worked so hard, so there’s a disappointment but I’m glad to hear that a plan is in place and there’s going to be follow-up, and the action plan will be there for the future months.”
Cllr O’Hanlon said he was pleased the matter had been fully addressed: “Thank you Darryn for your openness and the way you’ve dealt with this over the last week.
“If one customer has a bad experience, that’s one too many, and you know the old adage, ‘A happy customer tells three, an unhappy tells 10’.
“Cllr Flaherty referred to the investment that has taking place across our facilities and in particular in relation to facilities for children and adults with disabilities, and the same groups are people who’ve had to fight for everything their whole life in terms of facilities.
“Hopefully the lessons have been learned from this, and the next time they turn up it will be better, but I really do appreciate the engagement that you and the team have had in relation to this.”
