YORK'S former leisure chief has gone on the attack over the Barbican Centre - and asked whether the extended consultation was "a fix."

Councillor Alan Jones, City of York Council's former executive member for leisure and heritage, has challenged the council's ruling Liberal Democrat group to release the results up to the original consultation date, July 25.

The extended closing date passed yesterday.

York residents are being asked whether they want a county standard pool or a smaller community pool.

Coun Jones said: "I am glad residents had a little more time to express their views, but I am concerned that this consultation is still inadequate. Why hasn't the

exhibition been to Edmund Wilson, or in the council's exhibition wagon in the centre and out-of-town malls where the maximum number of residents could have been contacted?

"I challenge the Lib Dems to answer these questions, to demonstrate just how genuine this consultation really is. Otherwise we cannot ignore the possibility that citizens have just been given extra time as part of a cynical attempt to fix the result."

Council leader Coun Steve Galloway said consultation forms had been available right across the city, including the Edmund Wilson and Yearsley pools, as well as on the Internet.

He said the results of the consultation would be made available in a report to the council's executive next month.

Coun Galloway said: "Either option is acceptable to the controlling group. We recognised all along that people might opt for the larger pool, that is the point of holding a public consultation."

Asked about Coun Jones's use of the term "fix," Coun Galloway said: "I would use the term back at him. He was the one parading outside the Barbican trying to persuade people to vote for the county pool option."

Updated: 10:19 Saturday, August 09, 2003