CLAIMS that district councillors were misled and kept in the dark over the existence of an alleged health and safety report about the town's Dolphin Centre have been vigorously denied.

Bromsgrove District Council's corporate director Bob Lewis has hit back angrily over claims made recently by the leader of the Labour group, Cllr Peter McDonald (Uffdown and Waseley)

Cllr McDonald claims there has been a cover up regarding a report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into two gas leaks and a fire at the Bromsgrove leisure centre more than a year ago.

He said that after repeatedly asking officers if a report was forthcoming and being told the council did not have one, he had been "astounded" to learn that the authority had allegedly paid for and received an independent report some months earlier.

In a bid to clarify the situation Mr Lewis said Cllr McDonald had got it wrong.

In a statement to the Advertiser/Messenger Mr Lewis said as required by law, the council reported the incidents to the HSE together with all relevant background and technical information.

He said it was this technical information which the council had commissioned from the Health and Safety Laboratory, an arm of the HSE, and which was subsequently submitted to the HSE.

"There is no health and safety report which has been issued by the HSE concerning the incidents which have been reported to them and consequently it is wrong for anybody to suggest such a report has been withheld from council," he said.

He added it appears the HSE is satisfied as no report has been forthcoming.