Babergh District Council is calling on all sections of the local community in Hadleigh to step up a gear and make the dream of a new, and better, swimming pool a reality.
Councillors on Babergh’s Strategy Committee will be asked on June 29 to back a feasibility study into a new, six-lane (one more than at present), 25-metre facility.
But Babergh is also urging Hadleigh Town Council to follow its lead in publicly committing any money raised from the sale of Town Council-owned land at Brett Works, should a supermarket be built on the site.
Babergh is itself looking to use cash from the possible sale of its land there, and possibly from the sale of East House, as essential contributions to the £3.25m needed for a new pool.
Babergh Councillors and officers will be meeting with Hadleigh Town Council on Thursday (June 15) to persuade them to back the project.
Nick Ridley, Babergh’s Strategy Committee Chairman, said: “Hadleigh Town Council’s willingness to commit possible future resources from a land sale would send a clear signal of practical support towards securing a new pool for Hadleigh.
“Babergh is moving forward with proposals to achieve this goal and we hope , making the spending of £30,000 by Babergh on the feasibility less of a risk than it does at present. Babergh is making its intentions and support to find the money for a new pool very clear and we hope that the Town Council will help us and the local community go up a gear in doing this.
“We really do believe that Hadleigh deserves a new pool – and that means a facility far better in quality than by merely patching up the existing one.”
If approved by Strategy Committee Councillors, Babergh is keen to involve as many representative groups in the town as possible, including local schools and the swimming club, in drawing up the details for of what a new pool might look like. ENDS
|