Are Labour about to scupper a new pool for Maryport?
Conservative-led Allerdale Borough Council have secured £5m toward the creation of a new pool for Maryport.
Unfortunately, Cumberland Council have to approve it and yesterday they failed to make a decision, putting the funding at risk.
It will come back for decision at the end of April, so let's tell Labour to stop playing games and GET ON WITH IT.
UPDATE 26TH MAY 2023
On Tuesday, the Labour Executive of Cumberland Council voted to scrap the popular and fully-funded plans for a new swimming pool in Maryport - cutting over £5m investment in the town.
As Deputy Leader of the former Conservative-led Allerdale Borough Council I led the bid to secure £5m from Government and following my election to Parliament, where that lobbying continued, we were successful. Conservative council leader Councillor Mike Johnson then found further funding from their own capital reserves to ensure that we could build the new pool. Cumberland Council were handed a fully-funded, shovel-ready project, with a local contractor raring to go.
This decision is massive kick in the teeth to the people of Maryport who showed overwhelming support for the Wave Pool. Make no mistake, this is Labour “levelling down” our communities.
The former chief executive of the Allerdale Council is the same chief executive now responsible for the new Cumberland Council. The Section 151 officer for Allerdale Borough Council is the same Section 151 Officer in post on the new Cumberland Council. The only difference is that there has been a change in the political leadership.
This decision makes a nonsense of the new authority’s boast that the health and wellbeing of the people of Cumberland are at the heart of everything they do.
This is the second swimming pool that Labour have ripped from the heart of Maryport, having previously taken the decision to close the pool at Netherhall School.
It is also an insult to the staff of Allerdale council who worked so hard to secure this funding.
All we have seen so far from this new council is higher taxation - in the form of a seven percent council tax hike for the people of Allerdale - and spending cuts. On Thursday we see the start of weeks of bin strikes because they're paying bin men in Allerdale less than those in Carlisle and Copeland. We're certainly not all in this together as far as they're concerned.
I will be meeting with government ministers in the coming days to fight this decision. Please continue to share my petition with your family and friends, it's now more important than ever.
SHARE THE FACTS
- Labour have cancelled the pool putting £5m investment into Maryport at risk.
- This is the second pool that Labour have ripped from the heart of the town, having earlier made the decision to close the pool at Netherhall school.
- Building a new pool at the Wave in Maryport was fully funded, predominantly through our successful Future High Streets bid.
- Construction costs had increased. Councillor Mike Johnson worked with local builders to bring down the cost and found the small amount of additional capital required.
- Cumberland Council cite the need for ongoing subsidy. From its £15m annual budget Allerdale Borough Council found £190k/year to subsidise the Wave. Cumberland Council have a budget in excess of £300m/yr
- The pool REDUCES the subsidy by over one-third.
- The Wave gym was built without any dedicated changing facilities, the pool brings those and increases gym footfall and revenue.
- The council cites higher energy costs, which in any case will have much reduced before the pool is built. Additionally, government recognise the benefits of pools and have opened a fund for ongoing support.
- The additional benefits of the increase in those participating in swimming is £880k/yr - over £10m in the first 15 years.
