Dumfries leisure centre progress report on hold for talks

A progress report on repairs to a flagship leisure centre has been put on hold to allow mediation talks between a council and its contractors.

It emerged recently that remedial works had yet to start at DG One in Dumfries, one year after it closed to the public.

Councillors were expected to receive an update next week.

It has now been revealed that ongoing talks between Dumfries and Galloway Council and Keir Construction mean the meeting has been put back to November.

The first anniversary of the closure of the multi-million pound site fell earlier this month.

The repairs are expected to take about 18 months to complete once they do get under way.

The council has been pursuing a legal case against contractors Keir Construction over the situation at the centre which only opened in May 2008.

'Mediation process'

"It was intended that a meeting of Dumfries and Galloway Council on Monday 19 October 2015 would consider a report on DGOne," a statement from the local authority said.

"However, representatives of the council and Keir Construction are currently involved in a mediation process.

"The meeting has, therefore, been postponed until November when there will be more information to report to elected members."

It added that under the terms of the mediation agreement, it was not open to the council or the construction firm to make any further comment.