THE company that runs Harrow's sports and leisure centres must re-apply if it wants to keep the job as the council seeks “better services and value for money”.

Leisure Connection, which manages Harrow Leisure Centre, Hatch End Swimming Pool and the Roger Bannister Sports Centre, may have to sign a new contract or give way to another provider.

Harrow Council announced in January the company would be kept on for another two years and would then have to bid again for the job alongside competitors.

But the authority has now announced even short-term its role is uncertain, as councillors throw the door open for applications from elsewhere.

Councillor Rekha Shah, responsible for community and cultural services, said: “We are scrutinising every penny we spend, so it makes sense to look carefully at a major contract like this and we are confident that this tender will bring even better services and value for money for residents in Harrow.”

Leisure Connection faced a barrage of criticism from residents over safety issues and poor standards of showers, toilets and hand dryers, but the council said in January the service had improved.

Officers revealed a previous manager was removed from his post at its request and said numbers of complaints had dropped since then.

Councillor Bill Stephenson, leader of the council, said in January he was “satisfied that things are being done better”.

Councillor Susan Hall, leader of the Tory opposition, said the Labour administration should have made the decision in January, but had wasted two months.

She said the tender process might now be “rushed” and may not save as much money as a result.

She said: “If Labour was really interested in providing value for money and an improved service for residents, it would have started work on this straight after coming to power – not nearly a year later.”

The council began the tender process on February 21 and it will finish on Friday.