The estimated costs of building a new Hadleigh Pool are so high that such an option – already considered unlikely – raises serious concerns as to its affordability and would have a significant upwards impact on Council Tax levels.
That is the stark conclusion drawn by Babergh officers on the basis of a report by leisure facility specialists SMC Charter Architects, who had been commissioned by Babergh to look into the costs of a new pool.
Working to a brief set by the Hadleigh Pool Steering Group – which also includes Hadleigh Town Council and South Suffolk Leisure and is due to consider the report on 7th August – the cost of a new six lane, 25m pool has been estimated at being between £5.5m and £7.2m (when additional facilities are included) by a completion date of 2010. This is far more than the £3.2m Babergh and its partners (Hadleigh Town Council and South Suffolk Leisure Trust) are likely to be able to raise on their own to build a new facility.
According to the Babergh report, such sums would tie-up all of Babergh’s resources for major projects for many years to come and increase Council Tax levels by between 8% and 9%.
A 2005 survey in which 6000-plus Babergh residents responded showed that as little as 18% of the population were willing to back an above-inflation increase in Council Tax to pay for a new pool.
According to Cllr. Nick Ridley, Babergh’s Strategy Committee Chairman “this SMC Charter Report represents a key milestone in the long investigations into any future new Hadleigh Pool. Babergh has always been honest with the people of Hadleigh in not minimising the likely costs and has left no stone unturned in considering every possible alternative”.
“In light of the results of the consultants’ report, the key challenge for Babergh is now to consider whether swimming can be retained in the town in the long-term or whether the health and well-being of residents both in the town and outside it may be better served by either refurbishing the existing facility or investing in other leisure and community services in the town” explained Cllr. Ridley.
The Babergh report to the Hadleigh Pool Steering Group outlines the three remaining options available:
- to commission a study into what, if anything, can be built for £3.2m – although significant concerns remain about the running costs.
- to commission a study into the costs of refurbishing the existing pool – but also evaluating the financial risks of having to write-off such an investment should the aged pool tank fail.
- continuing to run the existing pool whilst setting a timetable for its closure once it becomes uneconomic to continue maintaining it and then establishing a mechanism for investing funds in other facilities within Hadleigh.
“These are tough options and even if one of the first two is backed – there is still the possibility that the pool may have to be closed because of equipment failure. As in the past, Babergh will strive to work with its partners to ensure the best available future for leisure facilities in the town,” concluded Nick Ridley. ENDS
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