Permanent Seven Kings pool can be built for £250,000 more than Conservative’s five-year pool, says Labour leader
Cllr Jas Athwal proposes the pool can be built at a cost to the council of �250,000 more than the temporary pool. - Credit: Archant
A permanent swimming pool can be built for just £250,000 more than the temporary five-year pool proposed by Redbridge Council’s leadership, according to the leader of the borough’s Labour group.
Cllr Keith Prince suggests the plans will lose the council money - Credit: Archant
Cllr Jas Athwal (Lab, Mayfield) has said that his plans, fully costed by Redbridge’s senior council officers, will cost the council £2.2m and last for a minimum of 50 years.
Recently heated debate has ignited between Cllr Athwal and Redbridge Council leader, Cllr Keith Prince (Con, Barkingside), over how to provide a much-needed pool in the borough.
Cllr Prince has put forward plans to build a temporary pool in Seven Kings car park, High Road, at a cost of £1.95m.
Redbridge Labour’s plans come three weeks after Cllr Prince issued an open letter to Cllr Athwal in the Recorder asking for details of a “better option”.
Labour’s pool will cost a total of £2.8m, with their budget depending on a £600,000 grant from Sport England which Cllr Athwal said will be received.
He said: “When you are the worst swimming authority in London, and the fourth worst in the county, you will attract funding.
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“You go with a company that won’t plonk a tank on the floor, you go with a company with a good track record.”
His proposed facility, based on an existing development in Bradford, will include a 25m pool, a permanent home for Seven Kings Library, a fitness gym and a studio room.
Cllr Prince admitted that if it is possible to build a permanent pool for £2.2m then he would have to think again about his proposals but criticised the project for “blighting” the land by preventing a future sale.
He said: “In 2008, before Labour destroyed the economy, we were offered £7m for the site.”
Cllr Prince said it was his plan to sell the site after the temporary pool’s tenure was up and get a pool for “free” based on the revenue from selling the land, as well as new housing.
He also believes that the “debt servicing” of the loan will cost the council a great deal of money.
“The potential cost to the council to have a pool on the site is £50m,” he said.
Cllr Athwal responded: “That’s a ridiculous statement. The difference between what we are borrowing is £200,000.”
Labour also expect that the income generated by the pool and the gym will cause the facility to break even.
Cllr Prince’s plan budgets for a £100,000 net yearly loss.
The council will debate the pool proposals at the full council meeting at the town hall on March 6.
