CAMPAIGNERS walked out in disgust at a special meeting about the fate of a Cleckheaton sports centre held last night in the town.

The meeting at Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre had been organised to give campaigners wanting to save it, a chance to have their say over the decision to close it, which was taken in secret by Kirklees Council cabinet two years ago.

Complaints about a lack of public consultation were upheld by by the Local Government Ombudsman and last night's meeting, which lasted almost four hours, had been seen by protesters as a chance to persuade Kirklees Council's cabinet to change their minds.

But despite impassioned pleas from users, cabinet members voted to uphold its original decision to close the sports centre.

It had emerged in a report to the meeting that saving the sports centre from closure could risk plans to rebuild neighbouring Whitcliffe Mount school and end up costing the council £12 million.

The school is part of a £150m project to rebuild seven ageing schools in Yorkshire, including four in the Bradford district.

The meeting heard from the report here was a "high likelihood" that the Education Funding Agency (EFA), which is responsible for the Government's priority school building programme, would withdraw the Cleckheaton school from the batch if the Council decided to keep the sports centre.

The council estimated it would cost £2m to keep the sports centre - £500,000 to reinstate the utilities it current share with the school, and £1.5m in repairs and improvements.

If the school is withdrawn from the rebuilding scheme now, the EFA estimates the cost impact would be £7.75m and a further cost of £4.2m would be incurred if the new school was included in a future capital programme instead, said the report which warned the EFA could seek to recover the total cost of £11.95m from the council.

A spokesman for the campaigners said many questions were asked and few were answered. "The cabinet refused to change their minds as expected. Out of a turnout of almost 100 people, many people left before the vote at the end, no doubt disgusted by what they had seen and heard," he said.

And he added: "It was clear that many people in the community were not aware of many of the facts. That is a sad indictment of this cabinet and shows the contempt they have shown to the community in not having the right and proper public consultation in the first place.

"They would have shown some integrity, at least, if they had formally apologised for their well documented failings and inexcusable decision not to consult the community. They could not even do that.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said that councillors reconsidered all the information presented, including the views expressed in the meeting and a full equalities impact assessment as recommended by the local Government Ombudsman and developments in external factors since their original decision in December 2013.

Deputy council leader Councillor Jean Calvert, who chaired the meeting held at the sports centre, said she was satisfied that most people would be able to access provision at other Kirklees Active Leisure sites. A new improved fitness area will open under two miles away at Spenborough Pool in January.

Councillor Graham Turner said the financial position could only support taking the option to close the centre, as it makes a loss currently and the funding for the new school would be put at very significant risk.

The decision means the Whitcliffe Mount sports centre is likely to close in May so it can be demolished to make way for the building of the new school.