I could write a book about the mismanagement at KA:Leisure going back decades, but the editor has asked me to contain it to a column.

So, it is no surprise that in an attempt to save nearly half a million pounds the company - set up by North Ayrshire Council - has made eight managers redundant.

Former Vikingar! manager Tommy Duff has gone, along with senior manager Colin Glencorse and the manager of Routenburn Golf Course, whom KA didn't seem to realise was also the public facility's greenkeeper.

KA:Leisure, which receives almost half of its funding from the council, is what is termed "an at-arms-length" organisation, overseen by NAC.

The body, which has charitable status and not for profit (just as well), runs centres like Vikingar!, Auchenharvie and the Irvine Portal, as well as some golf courses, and has a role in letting out campuses such as Largs Academy.

It has a board of directors, made up of management, staff, councillors and a few members of the public with an interest in leisure. They are supposed to publish the minutes of monthly meetings on their website. However, at the time of writing, the minutes last appeared in August.

When I asked why I couldn't see up-to-date minutes, which might even refer to cutbacks and redundancies, I was told there hadn't been any meetings held. Strange at a crucial time for the organisation.

When Ayrshire Weekly Press reporter Neil Smith asked KA to comment on the drastic cuts and changes, a PR firm (how can they afford them?) replied that they didn't want to respond! Perhaps they should be renamed KGB Leisure.

They did issue an internal report to staff to say that to ensure the viability of the organisation, with a reduced financial budget, jobs had to go. They will operate in deficit, with taxpayers footing the bill, for the foreseeable future.

This, they stated, would see centres like Vikingar! (Barrfields) be "a more efficient and effective operational business model".

The last statement I can't argue with, having served for 12 years on the Barrfields Theatre Users Group, almost all of them as secretary dealing with KA management.

As I marvelled at a flying carpet zooming across the stage at the Largs Players panto last week, I couldn't help thinking to just over a year ago, when KA had condemned the Barrfields stage as "dangerous".

As secretary of the theatre group, I kept asking why. Apparently, a company who were paid to alter the lighting bar in the auditorium had pointed to the lights on the stage and asked: "Are they safe?"

KA Leisure, who have no clue about theatres, took fright. They paid four separate firms of consultants to inspect the stage. Despite requests from the Barrfields group, they refused to ever release the findings. What was also peculiar was that this "major" problem was never mentioned in the minutes of any of their meetings.

Then, out of the blue, KA paid someone something to hammer a few more screws into the stage - after 18 months - and what do you know, Aladdie could suddenly fly into the air. Magic. 

I could list more inefficiency, about dirty dressing rooms, broken seats, toilet problems, staff misinformation, theatre bookings etc. etc.  It stemmed from bad management.

The most successful aspect of Vikingar! is the theatre which is fully run by the volunteers of BUG, the Barrfields Users Group.

They book, they ticket, they usher and they clean. They have even appointed a co-ordinator to oversee their activities which have brought entertainment back to the 80-year-old theatre.

Now, that's what you call charitable status.

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Thought for the Week: Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

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There was an early Christmas present for Iain Barr at the recent Largs Golf Club prizegiving dinner.

The course greenkeeper was honoured for his 25 years of service - and there was a surprise message from the town's Ryder Cup winning professional golfer Sam Torrance.

In a specially recorded video Sam told Iain that his anniversary at the golf club was "pretty special", but he knew that his golfing background went back 38 years ago, when he started greenkeeping with his father and highly acclaimed coach Bob Torrance of the Routenburn club.

Sam added that Iain was renowned for his "incredible job" of keeping the Largs course in tip top condition in all weathers.

Retiring club captain Ian Capperauld made a special presentation of a framed photograph to Iain.

I recalled that Iain and I were at a football dinner in Beith, when the speaker pointed towards Kilbirnie, saying it was only known for football players and prostitutes.

Iain told him that his mother came from Kilbirnie. The speaker asked: "And what position did she play?"