LIVID campaigners have accused South Ayrshire Council of denying them an opportunity to air their views over controversial plans for a community assettransfer of Muirhead Activity Centre.

Proposals were lodged for the CAT by Dundonald Gymnastics Club back in October but they have been met with very strong opposition, including a 1,200 signature petition.

Councillor Phil Saxton told Muirhead Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) at one of their meetings that he expected a public meeting would be held before the decision on the proposal is made by the Leadership Panel on June 11.

Muirhead TARA chairwoman Frances Carson was furious when she heard no meeting was planned.

She said: “We were promised a meeting would be held this month but now it is not going ahead.

South Ayrshire Council’s motto is “Ne’er Forget the People. But they are certainly forgetting the people of Muirhead. We are being shut out.

“There have already been 1200 signatures against the proposal and these are not being considered.

There must be a meeting to give the people a say. What’s the point in asking people their views when they are being ignored. It’s really a pointless exercise. Something stinks about this.

“We’re not happy at all.

We have said we would co-operate with the Gymnastics Club if the plans go through, but not at the expense of our groups being displaced.

“The people are against the proposals. We want to put this centre back into the heart of the community, we have lots of plans for it if we can keep running it. Why should the other groups have to move from where they are? It’s morally wrong to allow the asset transfer.”

Secretary Elizabeth McNish also hopes justice is done.

She said: “Hopefully the application will be rejected, I don’t know of one person supporting it.

The Government are going on about obesity and improving health and our groups help achieve that. We put on Christmas and Easter parties and bang doors and get people to come along.

Muirhead will be dead if this goes ahead and the kids will have nothing to do.”

A council spokesman said: “The Council has a statutory process to follow.

This process does not allow the Council to organise a public meeting regarding Muirhead Activity Centre, however a meeting could be organised by others.”