A survey designed to gauge opinion of arts and cultural services which could yet contribute to the fate of the West End Centre is fundamentally flawed, a councillor has claimed.

Hampshire County Council and Rushmoor Borough Council are working together to produce a cultural strategy for the area. It is expected to be completed next year and will look at the possibility of creating a discovery centre in Aldershot and clarify whether the town’s ‘Westy’ will be allowed to stay open.

However, Labour’s Cllr Mike Roberts, who represents Heron Wood ward in Aldershot, feels the way the survey is being carried out — by postal questionnaire — is unfair.

“I find it astonishing that young people, who are the principal users of all the services detailed, are deliberately being excluded from the survey work because they are not householders,” he said.

“The medium being used is not the type of medium they use and would have no appeal to young people at all.

“The only way that young people will have a voice is if they opt into the survey, which is highly unlikely in the terms in which it is being conducted.

“It gives me the distinct impression, from the way the questions are formulated, that Hampshire is looking for a justified set of conclusions so it can embark upon its unwritten strategy, which was revealed from the machinations over the West End Centre.

“The best way to deal with flawed surveys is to withdraw them and that is what I am challenging the county council to do.”

When secret plans to close the arts venue were leaked to the News in 2007 more than 4,000 people signed a petition to save it.

The plan was to switch services currently provided at the Westy, the library and Princes Hall into a multi-use discovery centre building, along the lines of one in Winchester.

Councillors promised to listen to the views of everyone who uses services in Rushmoor during a heated public meeting. But Cllr Roberts said that promise was not being kept, claiming that social networking sites like Facebook and Bebo should be used and that posting 4,500 questionnaires deliberately excluded young people who lived with their parents.

Cllr Roberts said he was lobbying Rushmoor chief executive Andrew Lloyd to consider what to do about it.

However, Mr Lloyd said: “It would be inappropriate to withdraw the survey. What a waste of public money that would be.

“But what I would say is that if we find that we’re getting an insufficient response from young people then we will review that and look at what we can do. What I’m absolutely sure about is that this whole consultation is there to find out what people think.

“There is no hidden agenda here and we certainly wouldn’t be party to anything like that. This is a very important piece of work and we’re determined to get it right.”

Hampshire County Council’s member for recreation, heritage and communities, Cllr Margaret Snaith, said: “I would like to assure Cllr Roberts that we will not be withdrawing our arts, culture and sports survey, which will help shape the future of these provisions in Rushmoor.

“Hampshire County Council is working very closely with Rushmoor Borough Council to ensure that this survey is completed by as many people in Rushmoor as possible.
 
“The content and mode of distribution was agreed by both councils to ensure a maximum return rate.”

She said a random mailing list was drawn up, using postcodes from GU11 and GU12 areas, and surveys have been sent to 4,500 homes.

Cllr Snaith added: “It is recognised that young people are less likely to complete postal surveys. Therefore, an online version was created to encourage young people of any age to complete it.
 
“The online survey was promoted through the press and radio and 5,000 promotional postcards which were distributed to schools and young people’s groups throughout Rushmoor.

“Emails have also been sent, via Rushmoor Voluntary Services, to children and young people’s groups, which included Brownies, Guides, Scouts, schools, colleges, football clubs, youth services and children’s centres. An additional 500 paper surveys have been left in libraries and the West End Centre.”

She said the survey is the first part of a much larger consultation process. It will be followed up with “qualitative consultation with young people”.

Cllr Snaith added: “The half-term Youth Fest at the West End Centre was explicitly designed for young people to try arts and cultural activities and the evaluation that was conducted will say which of these they would want to carry on doing, and where.
“It is important to understand that examining one element of a consultation process in isolation will always identify areas that are not covered.

“I would urge anyone who is yet to fill out their survey to do so and send it back to us before the end of January.”