THOUSANDS of pounds have been pumped into the maintenance of Bricket Wood leisure centre since its doors were closed to the public last year.

It emerged at a meeting of the full council yesterday evening the district council has been paying for electricity and security fees as well as rents and rates and Leisure Connection management fees despite its closing 12 months ago.

Councillor Julian Daly, Tory leader, asked Councillor Roger Axworthy, portfolio holder for resources and efficiencies "how much the council has paid out in each of the last 12 months" following which the figures were revealed.

The council's cabinet agreed in March last year to hand the lease back to HSBC claiming it would cost much more to bring up to standard the poor state of centre's current facilities and the number of members had significantly fallen since the opening of Watford's new leisure centre.

However damning figures released yesterday evening show some £840,000 of the council's budget has been paid out.

A provision of £0.540 million was made available from one of the district council's existing leisure budgets.

The Review has contacted Councillor Anthony Rowlands, portfolio holder for leisure, and Councillor Axworthy, for a comment.