Cumberland Council’s Executive members have confirmed that plans to build a swimming pool in Maryport will not go ahead.
Council leaders had been asked by Members on the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) at a meeting on 17 May 2023, to reconsider the decision of the council’s Executive committee of 25 April 2023 not to proceed with the development of a swimming pool facility at the Wave Centre in Maryport.
In the meeting in April, Executive members had also agreed that they would seek agreement from Government to re-scope the use of grant funding at the Wave, or to be used for other projects within the Maryport Future High Street Programme.
The reason given for the Executive’s original decision was that: “the scheme as proposed was not sustainable and would have long term revenue cost implications for the Cumberland Council which were prohibitive. The re-scoping of projects would enable the funding to be retained and utilised within the Maryport Future High Streets Programme.”
The Executive’s decision was looked at by the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) after it was subject to a call-in.
All members of the cross-party committee had access to the same information provided to the Executive, including the independent financial report. They were also able to speak with Deputy Leader Cllr Lisa Brown and officers about the project.
At their meeting OSC members resolved to ask the Executive to “to reconsider its decision and, in particular, to consider seeking information from the Trustees of Maryport Community Pool CIO regarding the feasibility of the Trust running the facility, given the significant revenue deficit implications over a prolonged period.”
Speaking after the Executive meeting on 30 May, Cllr Mark Fryer, Leader of the Council, said:
“I welcomed the opportunity for the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to have the chance to look in more detail at our decision not to go ahead with a swimming pool at the Wave and to have access to the same information we did in making that decision. This information included the independent financial assessment report which showed the potential increased costs of running of the Wave Centre could reach £500k a year and that this was not due to short-term transitory issues like the current high rates of inflation.
“It was a difficult decision and I understand the disappointment of many in the Maryport community. However, I hope the members of the scrutiny committee understand the financial challenges presented by this project, which we believe make it unsustainable in the long-term. Deadlines are also extremely tight and it is unlikely that the project could now be built in the timescales allowed.
“The timing of this decision has been very difficult, coming so soon following the vesting of Cumberland Council. Whilst we await the outturn positions of our predecessor councils our budgetary position remains partially unclear, and this decision required a significant financial contribution – both of one-off capital funding, but also ongoing annual revenue spend.
“Cumberland Council is acutely aware of the current economic climate - both in respect of council funding and also of the pressures on the people of Cumberland. Any money that we commit to spending must be mindful of those pressures at all times – and just as we all take care of how we spend our own money, so we will take care of how we spend Cumberland’s money. Being robust and prudent in our financial management unfortunately left us with few options here.
“With hindsight there are lessons to be learned from this process. I understand why the decision needed to be taken in ‘part two’ due to the commercial confidentiality of the material in question. But I do want to make decisions in public as much as possible to maximise transparency especially on issues of high public interest. This is partly why I welcomed the ability to explain the decision to the cross-party scrutiny committee.
“Officers are continuing to look at other options for this scheme and we await feedback on this. I encourage people from the community to be part of that process.”
The call-in was signed by Cllr Carni McCarron-Holmes, Cllr Bill Pegram, Cllr Jimmy Grisdale, Cllr Andrew Semple and Cllr Markus Campbell-Savours. Cllr McCarron-Holmes was particularly keen that trustees of the Maryport Community Pool CIO were given the opportunity to meet with Executive members to discuss their decision.
Since the Scrutiny meeting discussions with Trust members have already taken place, and Executive members took these discussions into account when making their decision on the call-in. The Executive hope that they can continue to work with the Trust members on the rescoping of the project.
As promised following the original Executive decision, the public will be consulted on a Plan B for Maryport as soon as possible.