MORE consultation has been called for on plans to improve a Winchester leisure centre.

Cllr Simon Cook called for an independent scrutiny group to be set up to assess the future of River Park Leisure Centre and what provision is needed.

Cllr Robert Hutchison added that Winchester Town Forum should also have a consultation on the matter.

Leader Keith Wood said a cross-party working group has already been set up to complete that task and would report in September.

Cllr Wood has already stated that the preferred option is to demolish and rebuild River Park, following a consultancy report into Winchester’s sport and recreational needs, angering campaigners who wanted a state-of-the-art complex built at Bar End.

The consultancy was originally budgeted at £50,000 but the actual cost was £17,500.