Doubts have been raised over whether a town will get a promised new leisure centre, following a change of political leadership.

During the last months of the Conservative administration at Maidstone council, the cabinet committed to providing either a completely new leisure centre for Maidstone, or carrying out a refurbishment of the existing centre at Mote Park by March 31, 2031.

It even set aside £60m in its 10-year capital programme for the work to be done.

Since the local elections in May, a coalition of Green, Independent and Lib Dem councillors has been in charge.

But when Cllr Paul Harper (Fant and Oakwood Ind) asked the new administration’s cabinet member to confirm his commitment to the pledge, he would not do so.

Cllr Harper said: “The current Maidstone Leisure Centre is nearing the end of its economic life and is the largest source of carbon emissions in the borough. Please confirm that we will have either a new or completely refurbished centre by 2031.”

But Cllr Stephen Thompson (Green), the cabinet member for healthier stronger communities, would not make that commitment.

He said: “The previous cabinet agreed to extend the management contract of the centre with Serco for five years from August 31, 2024, with up to three one-year extensions thereafter.”

He acknowledged that by the end of that period (which would be 2032), the growing cost of running the centre was likely to exceed the annualised cost of building a new centre, but added that none of the £60m set aside had been contractually committed.

He said: “The new administration is committed to developing the borough’s arts, culture and leisure offer. We also want to improve the health and quality of life for the whole of the borough’s residents.”

But he said: “At this point, at the start of a four-year political cycle, it is imperative that we consider how best these objectives might be met.”

He said that it was standard practice that the capital budget was reviewed every year and “it could be adjusted in the light of changed priorities”.

He said: “Officers have been carrying out research into what other authorities have done to meet their health and leisure objectives and I’m taking time to understand all the issues and challenges.

“It would be premature of me to commit to open a new or refurbished leisure centre at a particular date.”

Cllr Harper told Cllr Thompson he was “leaving residents hanging” over whether they would ever get a new leisure centre when the existing one finally expired, and asked how he intended to tackle the pressing problem of obesity in the population without a leisure centre.

Cllr Thompson said: “There are other examples besides obesity about which I am extremely exercised.

“When I was a student at Nettlested Primary School some 50 years ago I was bussed to the leisure centre (for swimming lessons) in the knowledge that some of my classmates had drowned in the river because they had been unable to swim.

“I am very exercised that we have the right facilities for swimming and for combatting obesity in the town and I assure Cllr Harper that we will strain every sinew in this regard.”

But he still would not commit to a date.

Afterwards, Cllr Harper said he was “disappointed beyond belief.”

He said: “The Maidstone Leisure Centre was built in the 1970s. It is ageing and already barely fit for purpose.

“Building a new centre takes time to design, to achieve planning permission, to tender for contracts and then to build.

“If we are to have a new centre by 2031, we must start that process next year at the latest.

“We are the County Town for goodness sake!”

“The money is there in the existing budget, but the new administration won’t commit to it.”