TRIPS to council swimming pools and sports centres in York have slumped, new figures revealed today.

The fall in visits to pools - and a drop in customer satisfaction with council leisure provision generally - was today blamed on the Barbican Centre redevelopment wrangle.

Opposition Labour members on City of York Council said the statistics were a "real worry" for the city's fitness future.

But ruling Liberal Democrats said they were making a difference on leisure, and again blamed Barbican delays on a "small group of protesters".

Figures to the council's executive showed the percentage of residents satisfied with the council's cultural and leisure provision had fallen to less than half, from 55 per cent in 2003/4 to only 44 per cent this year.

The statistics also showed the number of visits to swimming baths and sports centres had fallen by 40 per cent.

In 2003/4 there were 5,463 swims and sports visits for every 1,000 people. That dropped to 3,216 in 2004/5 - missing the reduced target of 4,182, revised in the wake of the planned Barbican revamp.

A report to the executive said this year's underperformance was probably due to the closure of the Barbican and the loss of facilities at the Edmund Wilson and Yearsley pools, when they underwent maintenance.

Labour's leisure spokesman, Coun Dave Evans, said: "There is no doubt this fall is due to the prolonged closure of the Barbican centre, which has been shut needlessly for almost a year. Even more worryingly, there is still no sign of progress on the new pool."

Coun Evans said the Lib Dems had failed to deliver on their pledge to provide adequate replacement sports facilities while the Barbican was mothballed.

He said temporary leisure provision at All Saints' School was not up to scratch, with residents complaining about lack of fitness facilities.

The deputy council leader, Coun Andrew Waller, admitted delays caused by the judicial review into the Barbican had hit performance figures. But he defended the Liberal Democrats leisure record.

He said: "It has been very frustrating that a small number of people have stopped the council proceeding with the Barbican Centre development, which includes the pool."

Coun Waller said when Labour controlled the Guildhall it had been committed to cutting the number of pools in the city.

He said: "We were the only party committed to maintaining three large pools in York and as soon as we can get the Barbican back on track, we will."

He said the Lib Dems had expanded youth leisure, and were committed to "swim for a pound" for kids over the school summer holidays.

Updated: 11:57 Saturday, July 02, 2005