A FORMER mayor questioned Colchester Council’s “haste’’ in choosing an organisation to run an activity centre once threatened with closure.

Social housing provider Colne Housing is the preferred choice to take over at Abbots Activity Centre, in Ladbrook Drive.

The Lib Dem, Labour and independent-run administration decided against closing the centre after protesters raised a 5,593-signature petition and marched to the town hall.

Colne Housing operations director Martin Buddery has met council cabinet member Tina Dopson and campaign leader Iris Thompson with a view to signing a deal, saving the council the £76,000-a-year running costs.

But Conservative councillor and ex-mayor Sonia Lewis said: “You can’t make a decision of this magniture when you haven’t a business plan, you haven’t your service level agreement and the partners of Abbots were not consulted.

“I have every faith in Colne Housing. It being awarded the lease is not an issue, it’s the lack of information. We need information before that agreement is signed.” Yesterday, she called-in the decision, which will now be debated by the council’s finance and audit scrutiny panel.

The centre has 277 members aged 50 and over, who enjoy various activities.

If the move goes ahead, the council will invest £15,000 a year in another activity centre at Lion Walk, Colchester, and £20,000 on starting volunteer-led social clubs in the community.

Colne Housing has experience of running community facilities, and is looking at opening Abbots Activity Centre seven days a week, while encouraging other groups to use it.