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Babergh District Council’s Strategy Committee has today reaffirmed the need for a pool in Hadleigh and resolved to leave no stone unturned in investigating as many funding sources as possible. Should such investigations prove positive, the Committee is recommending that £30,000 be put into next year’s budget for a feasibility study, which will look at the most sustainable site for a new pool.
“At this stage, the issue is really one of funding and not location” explained Sue Carpendale, Chairman of the Committee, as it considered recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. “Without pulling together a broad church of potential private and public bodies who may be able to fund or identify funding sources for the enormous cost of a new pool, the debate about where any such facility will go is an empty one. The key thing is to keep all our options open at this stage”.
The Committee has instructed officers to produce a report in time for the next full Council (19th October) detailing those partners who may provide financial and other assistance in raising the £3.25m it is estimated it will cost to build a new and modern pool. Babergh is unable to finance the costs of a pool from its own resources, given its commitment to try and keep future Council Tax increases within inflation.
“The message from this Committee is clear: we are very committed to a new pool for Hadleigh, but need to be realistic about sounding out how the money could be raised, before committing further funds aimed at detailing the best site”.
“Babergh wants to build a broad church of partners, including Hadleigh Town Council, who would be willing to work together for the future benefit of all the communities which use the existing pool. We hope that everyone we approach over the next few weeks will choose to get involved” concluded Mrs Carpendale. |